Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime
by beezyland
Summary: AKA B's Magical Collection of Holiday Oneshots! Multi-ships. Sasha/Marty friendship, Emily/Damon/Razor, Paystin, Nickelly, Lauren/Austin, Payson/Sasha, Kaylie/Damon, Lauren/Razor, Austin/Emily, Lauren/Austin, KayAus, Austin/Max
1. Two Old Men in a Bar SashaMartyBros

Disclaimer: Sometimes I forget, but, yep, I don't own anything.

A/N: HELLO, FANDOM! So, if you haven't heard, I'm crazy and I've challenged myself to do as many Christmas oneshots as I can for this month. I'll be doing a variety of ships, sometimes not even ships, just character-specific, some serious and sweet, others pure crack, canon and even my personal AU. Consider this my Christmas gift to y'all.

Summary: "Two lonely old men walk into a bar on Christmas…" "Hey. Watch who you're calling _old_, Belov." Sasha/Marty Bromance

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><p><strong>-BB-<strong>

**Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime **

1

Though they'd all rather not, snow makes them all think of Marty, back to a time where they weren't Sasha Belov's Rock Rebels, just little girls in leos with big, faraway dreams.

"It's snowing! First snowfall of winter!" Marty would shout around the same time every December. Usually he yells at the girls about bent elbows or gossiping when they should be in the middle of conditioning, but around Christmastime his voice would take on a strange, almost childlike tone. "Everyone, take ten! It's snowing!"

Kaylie and Lauren jump for joy and readily abandon whatever they're working on in favor of scurrying off to grab their coats and sweats. Knowing Lauren, it's whatever designer wear her daddy is using to buy her love this month and knowing Kaylie—pink. _Definitely_ pink. Marty smiles at the two thirteen-year-old best friends, bursting with excitement over something not related to gymnastics. Sometimes they all just need the reminder that essentially, they're just kids.

"I'm going to make you eat snow, Russo."

"Shut up, Carter."

The curly-haired teen laughs arrogantly and shoves the younger gymnast right into Marty. The coach has a curse at the back of his throat, but manages to repress it and settle for shouting, "Watch it, Russo!"

Usually quiet and extremely focused Nicky Russo gives a nervous laugh and rakes his fingers through his dark hair that sticks up in a constant state of disarray. Carter laughs, wrapping a scarf around his neck and continuing out the door without a care. Nicky remains there, embarrassed and nervously shifting from side to side. "Sorry, sir," he says meekly.

Marty's irritation quickly flees and he waves him off, watching the promising gymnast quickly turn and join the rest of the gym in going outside. As Marty slides on his thick coat and fastens the zipper, he notices Kim Keeler standing a little way off from the beam where Payson remains, feet firmly planted on the beam. She makes it clear she thinks everyone else is being silly and disregards Marty's direction. It's just like her to undermine his authority.

"Payson Keeler, that was an order," Marty says playfully. He walks closer to the beam and Kim wishes him luck getting through to her. "Payson, it's _snowing_. Snow is literally falling from the sky. Outside. Now. How do I make myself any clearer?"

"So, it's falling," Payson says, clearly uninterested. "This is Colorado. It'll probably still be snowing in February. Marty, Kelly Parker is a Junior International Elite and we're the same age! If I even want to test for Elite I need to nail this."

"Understood," Marty says. "But fifteen minutes to ooh and awe at the snow with your friends and your favorite coach isn't going to ruin your career. Trust me, Payson."

She doesn't look at him, doesn't budge and so Marty takes it into his own hands. He grabs the blonde gymnast around the knees and throws her over his shoulder before heading to the door. Despite Payson's demands to be put down and her referring to him as a "disrespectful caveman", Marty carries her out of there with a smiling Kim following after them, trying to put Payson's sweats and shoes on her before they venture out in the cold.

Outside, the sky is overcast, gray clouds as far as the eye can see. Little white snowflakes flutter down from the sky, little by little, but increasing by the minute. Classy, crystal iced Christmas lights are strung up around the outside of the Rock and ropes of red and blue decorate a few of the surrounding trees. All lit up and with the falling snow, it feels so much like Christmas. Magical even.

Marty finally sets Payson down on the sidewalk when she has her sweats and shoes on. The blonde gymnast gives her coach a sour look as her mom wraps a parka tight around her. Ignoring her, Marty smiles at everything around him and especially the glee of the young gymnasts, twirling around the parking lot, excitedly chattering away with their friends and marveling at the sight of their breath in front of their faces.

"See, Payson, aren't you glad I dragged you out here?" Marty asks. He can't help it if he sounds just a little smug.

"I still don't see the point of this," she answers promptly.

But Marty sees the way Payson smiles when Kaylie comes over and steals her away, going over to where Lauren giggles, watching Carter try to catch snowflakes on the tip of his tongue. Marty lets them enjoy the moment long enough for him to sing _Frosty the Snowman_ in his head before he puts on his coach-voice and shouts for all of them to get back to the grind.

**-BB-**

_Present _

Marty knows it's sad, a grown man spending Christmas in a bar, but it could be worse. He could be in a strip club.

"Two lonely old men walk into a bar on Christmas…"

"Hey. Watch who you're calling _old_, Belov." Smiling gently, Marty sips his scotch before looking over his shoulder and finding Sasha. The man with the short, blonde hair and just the perfect amount of scruff clasps a hand on Marty's shoulder and shakes him slightly before taking the barstool to his left. "Can't believe you actually showed. Shouldn't you be at midnight mass with Summer right about now, literally sweating like a whore in church?"

"I think you're mistaking me for Steve Tanner, which I find deeply offensive, I'll have you know," Sasha cheekily replies. He rubs his hands together and looks around Marty at how the bar is completely empty other than the two former gymnasts, current coaches. "Where's the bartender?"

"With his wife and newborn. I told him I'd lock up when we're done," Marty explains. "It's self-serve for the rest of the night."

"Luckily, I know my way around a bar," Sasha says. He shrugs off his jacket, folds it neatly and lets it hang over the edge of the wooden bar. Rubbing his hands together, Sasha makes his way behind the bar. "Sorry I was late. I came here straight from Christmas dinner with the Keelers."

Marty grunts and takes another sip from his glass. He remembers when he would get invitations to Christmas dinner at the Keeler house. Not so much anymore.

"How's Payson?" Marty asks urgently. He can't help himself whenever he's around Belov. The curious pertaining to who his former protégés have become is always at the front of his mind. He nearly had a heart attack, watching the televised Worlds. Marty couldn't be any more proud, watching Kelly completely dominate the uneven bars (just like he coached her to, obviously) and the other girls following her lead.

"You know Payson. She's a quick healer and you can never keep her out of the gym for too long," Sasha says. He has his back to Marty, looking at the liquor bottles that line the bar shelves, but Marty notices his smile in the reflective back wall of the bar. "Honestly, I don't know anyone who wants or deserves it more."

Nodding, Marty lifts his glass. "I'll drink to that."

Marty and Sasha never considered each other friends even though they've known each other since they were young, idealistic gymnasts themselves. The media always made them out to be these big rivals and that's essentially what they were up until making peace after their last run at the Olympics. Even after retirement, they weren't really friends, not like how they are now.

They only started hanging out in bars and the Denver fight club when Marty approached him, enraged over the rumors about Sasha and Payson having some secret affair. Marty punched him right in the face and though it was mostly over defending Payson, a girl Marty's known ever since she was a little girl (and moved from Minnesota to train specifically with him) but also it was a little payback after the last time Sasha punched him in front of everyone at the Rock.

There was shouting and shoving, adrenalin and testosterone through the roof, but one look at Sasha and Marty could tell the rumors weren't true. He could tell that Sasha cared too much about Payson to exploit her like that, respected her too much and was too much of a gentleman and a professional. Once things settled, Marty asked if he wanted to go get drunk and Sasha murmured a, "what the hell," and they ended up in the very same bar they're spending Christmas in right now.

"So how was your Christmas?" Sasha inquires. He pushes the sleeves of his shirt up to his elbows and inspects the label of a nicely aged brandy. "Don't tell me you've been sitting here all night. It's Christmas for Christ's sake."

"Nah. Though that doesn't sound half bad compared to where I really was. My presence was requested at some snazzy dinner party one of the Denver Elite parents hosted. Because that's what they do. Beals. Sheila. All them. No sitting around, watching _A Christmas Story_ in pajamas with the family. Instead, they dress their prized gymnasts children up and play Best in Show," Marty says bitterly. "I saw Nicky Russo, though. In town visiting his dad. Catching up wasn't so bad."

Sasha nods, replacing the brandy and reaching for a bottle on one of the higher shelves. "I tend to be harsh and critical more so with the men, being a former gymnast myself, seeing them try to do what I once did. You know what that's like." Marty nods and finishes his drink. "But I'll admit, I noticed him at Worlds. He had a good run."

Marty laughs, reaching over for one of the nozzles and filling a glass with whatever's on draft. "What do they say about never know what you have till it's gone?"

"Indeed," Sasha agrees. "So Dallas suits him, does it?"

"Seems so," Marty answers. Even if it pained him, losing Nicky and gaining Carter, it is the truth. He takes a big gulp of his beer, a nice transition between hards. "I think he's dating Kelly Parker."

Sasha spins around with a rich laugh that makes Marty groan. "Nicky Russo and Kelly Parker? Talk about an odd couple. Well, that's unexpected."

"Yeah, laugh it up," Marty says gruffly. "I don't think it's serious. Lord knows all of Denver would feel the backlash if the Momager had any idea. I'm betting they took the cue from Kaylie and Austin Tucker. Good job letting that escalate, Belov."

Sasha's laughter fades as he sets down two shot glasses and pours. "What a year it's been, huh? Emily got pregnant, left the sport." Marty feels his chest clench. Emily Kmetko, his YMCA discovery, the dark horse game-changer, now reduced to _teen mom_. The reminder makes Marty drink even faster. "Not to mention the media's fascination with KayAus." Marty grunts again. What the hell kinda name is that? "Next thing you know, Lauren will be engaged. The No Dating rule was supposed to take care of all this, but apparently, they just see rules as a challenge."

"Like we didn't do the same back in the day," Marty murmurs. This little nostalgia expression takes over the Romanian man's face and it makes Marty smirk a little. A couple drinks and the reserved Sasha Belov will be spilling all his secrets in no time. Of this Marty is sure.

"I do worry about Kaylie though," Sasha confesses. "As much as I like Austin, them dating, I don't like it any more than you do. Out of rehab, straight to Worlds, straight into a romantic relationship. No doubt Kaylie's stronger than she used to be, but it's all a bit much, a bit fast if you ask me."

Marty chuckles. "Bet if Alex Cruz had hair he'd be pulling it out right about now. Has that weird goatee thing of his turned gray yet? I bet he dyes it. That's what he does."

Though he shakes his head in disapproval, Sasha laughs, amused. He pushes a shot glass towards his friend. "Merry Christmas, Walsh."

Glancing over at the bottle, Marty smiles. It's what they drank at the end of their last Olympics together. There's something incredibly endearing about his careful choice in liquor and especially how Sasha tries to play it off like he doesn't even realize. "Yeah. Merry Christmas to you too, Belov."

When Sasha lifts the glass to his mouth, Marty suddenly shouts, "Hold on!"

Sasha murmurs incoherently to show his annoyance, but Marty doesn't really give a fuck and quickly stands. He has to pause a moment to wait for the room to stop spinning, but then makes his way to the jukebox. Sasha grows impatient and tosses back the shot without him, quickly refilling his glass as Marty slides loose change from his coat pocket into the old-school musical relic.

He's met with crushing disappointment when he sees they don't have _Frosty the Snowman_ ("What kind of piece of shit jukebox doesn't play ol' Frosty during Christmas!") and settles on Frank Sinatra's _Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let it Snow!_ When he makes it back to the bar, the two men cling glasses before drowning themselves in liquid fire.

Two lonely old men walk into a bar and drink till they're good and sloppy, delving back into stories of the old days and of how gymnastics used to be, as snow continues to cover the city outside.

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><p><span>AN: I've wanted to do something with the Sasha/Marty bromance ever since the Denver Exhibition where Kelly told Payson that Marty was the only one who knew where Sasha was. And the throwback to when everyone was younger was cute, right? What'd you think?

Things to look forward to: Possibly a look at the girls' individual fav./least fav. Christmas memories, Razor visiting Damon and Emily in Vegas for Christmas, Paystin and mistletoe, NickKelAus throwbacks, some Nickelly (obvi-freaking-ously), Damon/Kaylie, Lauren/Razor. Whatever randomly comes to me.

Contributions: I want this to be like HUGE and DIVERSE ship-wise so if you want to write a Christmas-related oneshot to add to this lil' collection, **PM me**! I'm totally getting LCTD to join. Specifically, if you're totally badass at writing ships I don't usually write (*cough* Sasha/Payson, KayAus *cough*) and want a part in this, I'd love that!

Who's as excited for Christmas as I am? Oh, and no promises, but any requests for what I should write next? Tell me in a _review._

Xoxo


	2. Do You Like My Sweater? EmilyDamonRazor

Disclaimer: Sometimes I forget, but, yep, I don't own anything.

A/N: HELLO, FANDOM! So, if you haven't heard, I'm crazy and I've challenged myself to do as many Christmas oneshots as I can for this month. I'll be doing a variety of ships, sometimes not even ships, just character-specific, some serious and sweet, others pure crack, canon and even my personal AU. Consider this my Christmas gift to y'all.

Summary: "On Christmas, families take pictures and send them out to make everyone mad jealous! And the three, no, _four_ of us, are a family, so we're doing it." Emily/Damon, Mentions of Kaylie/Damon, Razor/Life, Emily/Damon/Razor-friendship

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><p><strong>-BB-<strong>

**Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime **

2

There really is no use denying it. Razor is absolutely certain Mariah Carey's Christmas album is _da bomb_. Her powerful voice mixed with jingles and general upbeat approach is what gets him through the flight from Denver to Las Vegas. It takes a little under two hours thanks to the lack of headwind and it takes half that time for Razor to calm himself, wanting to giggle at the fact that the dude next to him looks like Dumbledore. Honestly, Razor is glad for all the distractions. He really doesn't know what to expect, coming to spend the holiday in the city of sin.

"Ray, I'm losing my fucking mind here," Damon whispered on the phone just last month.

"Dae, I'm sure you're overreacting," Razor said. With his phone pinned between his ear and shoulder, he settled down in front of the TV to watch the Thanksgiving Day parade. What he'd give to be apart of that, just driving one of the floats even. In front of him is a TV dinner complete with turkey, stuffing, corn and even a chocolate brownie. Razor pries off the top of a beer bottle and continues, "Dude, I've seen the Hangover. Vegas looks like a pretty good time."

"It's not like I'm living in a penthouse in the Bellagio," Damon said. "We're about fifteen outside the Strip."

Razor playfully clicked his tongue. "We've spent three months apart and already you're talking all fancy? It's like I don't even know you anymore."

"Ray. I'm serious."

"Honestly, it's getting harder and harder to remember a time where you weren't serious," Razor replied. He stabbed at the flabby slice of turkey with a plastic fork and huffed when he hit little shards of ice, still frozen. "Have you tried talking to Emily about how you feel?"

"And say what? My name is Damon Young and I feel like I'm trapped? Suffocating? Drowning? Like I know what the right thing to do is and I think I'm doing it, but it is far from what I want to be doing? I can't tell her that. She already walks around with this raincloud over her head, which can't be healthy for her or the baby."

"Well, maybe if you didn't mention your songbird, Kaylie Cruz, _all the time_."

Damon didn't say anything in response to that. Razor sighed and gave up poking at his dinner.

"Out of line, I realize. I'm sorry, but you get my point, right?" Razor doesn't hesitate to apologize. It never was a problem for him, bowing out, giving in and knowing what battles to fight and when to walk away. Razor never understood why some guys pride themselves on never saying sorry or admitting when they're wrong or smartly choosing battles, Damon especially. "So, what can I do for you, bud?"

"I just want things to be like old times again." Damon sighed heavily. "I don't want to be up till three in the morning every night, stressing about how I'm going to pay for the doctor bills or about all the ways people look at us every time we go into those stupid parenting classes at the community center. I want to kick it with you and play shows at keggers for free booze."

Razor smiled sadly, alone in Colorado. "What? Vegas kids don't know how to party?"

Damon scowled. "Definitely not all the condescending twenty-slash-thirty-something-year-olds who go to parenting classes. Dude, it's like high school all over again. Reminds me why I probably wouldn't have graduated if it weren't for you."

Razor laughs because they both know it's true. The two have been friends a long time. They met one day in detention (a promising starting point for any relationship), bonded over a mutual love for music and the idea of starting a band and haven't looked back since. With his fingers tight around his phone, Razor felt the apprehension, but he also knew the guilt that would come if he didn't at least suggest it.

"Well, um, we could make new times…?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean…I'm officially inviting myself over for Christmas!" Razor shouted, hoping he sounded more enthusiastic than he felt. "In all my roadie-ing I never hit up Vegas. Having a peanut butter and fried banana sandwich with an Elvis impersonator has always been on my bucket list. Why not, right?"

"You sure?"

"Dae, would I offer if I wasn't?" Razor asked with incredible conviction despite the bad feeling itching under his skin. "It'll be fun. Like a giant sleepover with Christmas smack dab in the middle!"

Razor cringed at the last part. Yeah, that was bad.

"You don't have to do this just because I'm kicking myself," Damon said. "I mean, but if you insist, I can always help pay for your plane ticket or something? I know you've been saving."

"No, it's good, bro. Your money would be better put going towards the baby. It's about time my Pizza Shack Enslavement fund went towards something fun, not just paying electricity, gas money and frozen dinners," Razor said. "Plus, it isn't all about you, Damon. Emily could probably use a friendly face too."

"Yeah, you're right."

"So should I start looking for airfare?"

"If it's how you want to spend Christmas," Damon said. "And if you don't mind crashing at this dive of a motel I've been living at. It's just like that time we did that gig in Colorado Springs and had to stay at that $50 a night Cockroach Den."

"I swear, one of those bastards laid eggs in my hair or something," Razor said, shivering from the memory. Damon chuckled and it was nice to hear him relax a little more. "Nah, I don't mind. Like old times, right?"

"Like old times," Damon echoed. "Alright, I should probably head out. I got invited to Thanksgiving dinner at Emily's. Her aunt is great. She's a fan of mine, you know."

"Jee, Damon, you're right. Your life sounds like it sucks," Razor said sarcastically. "Take care and say hi to Emily for me. I'll call you later when I finalize my plans and all that biz. Happy Turkey Day, bro."

"Happy Thanksgiving, Ray."

Now, here he is, in Las Vegas of all places for Christmas of all occasions.

"Damon Young! Young Money! D. Dollar Bills!" Razor shouts from the curb the moment Damon pulls up in an old truck. It's a stretch from his shiny, silver convertible he used to roll up in, but he needed to sell it, saving up for the baby, and got stuck with this heap of scrap metal.

"Don't call me that. Any of that." Damon deadpans. Razor just chuckles and wraps an arm around his old friend in a warm hug. He then tosses his duffle bag into the dusty truck bed and Razor brags about his brush with one of the greatest wizards in the world on the plane ride over.

First they go to the motel Damon has been living in to drop off the luggage. Razor gets super excited when he sees all the hotels and Vegas spectacles and literally whimpers when Damon veers away from all of the glamour and goes in the opposite direction. It turns out Damon was somewhat exaggeration. The room smells stale and the heater barely works despite being as loud as a monster truck. The wallpaper is dated and the bed is uncomfortable, but it isn't that bad.

"Tell me there's a Christmas tree at Em's."

Damon nods.

"Like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree?"

"Like Emily's uncle went to the woods and cut it down himself."

"_Dayum." _

It's a nice three bedroom one-story house. It isn't exactly upscale or even typical suburbia, but it is an improvement compared to where Emily used to live. There are two little boys kicking a soccer ball in the front yard, one African American and the other Chinese. Razor looks to Damon confusedly and then he explains that Emily's aunt and uncle are foster parents and those are their foster children. Damon says hi to the boys as they walk to the door, but they just blankly stare at Damon and Razor laughs.

The moment Razor sees Emily, he drops his bag and goes over to hug her. She looks good. She isn't too far along, just starting to show a little, and her dark hair is longer than she normally keeps it, bangs pushed to the side. A smile lights her face as Razor takes her in his arms and gives her a dramatic spin. Being out of town, Razor didn't get a chance to see her or convince her to stay when she left Colorado on a Greyhound. He almost forgot how great it is to see her smile.

"Emily, it's so good to see you!" Razor shouts. He sets her back own on her feet but keeps his arms around her, swaying from side to side and making her giggle.

"You don't ever change, do you, Ray?"

"Well, where's the fun in that?"

Once he finally gets his hug fix, Emily shows him around their little, cozy home and introduces him to her aunt. Razor can clearly see the similarities to Chloe, same dark hair and voluptuous curves, but her style of dress and makeup are more conservative. She seems like a sweet lady and talks about how happy she is to have Emily living with them. It's implied that she's also happy to get Emily away from her sister, who she clearly thinks is a toxic influence.

"So what do you kids have planned for the day?"

Damon nods to Emily and she shrugs.

"Actually, I had an idea," Razor says. He grabs the bag he brought with him and digs out two bundles wrapped in sheets of music and duct tape. He holds one out to Damon and the other to Emily with a big grin. "And it involves you two getting to open your presents early," he sings.

"What cute wrapping," Emily's aunt coos.

They go over to sit by the Christmas tree that honestly is as tall and full as the ones that probably grow around Santa's Workshop It's decorated with an assortment of different kinds of color ornaments, ranging from glass balls of different, solid colors to cartoon character figures. There are also these ones handmade out of popsicle sticks, paints and glitter that say _Calvin's first Christmas 2007_ and _Easton's first Christmas 2009_ among others_. _Razor suspects those belong to the other foster children who've come and gone. Foster parents usually have such a bad rep so seeing this makes Razor smile.

"Um, thanks, Ray?"

Trying her best to appear grateful, Emily smiles and holds up the large Christmas sweater. It's knit and blue like a night sky with cartoon reindeer pulling a sled, complete with attached bells that jingle whenever you move it. Emily's aunt giggles behind her hand. Damon doesn't hesitate to laugh and loudly.

"That's the ugliest sweater I've ever seen," Damon says.

"Shut up, Damon," Emily hisses, crumbling the wrapping and throwing it at the father of her baby.

"See, there's four of them, the reindeer all working together to pull the sled. They reminded me of you and the Rock girls," Razor says. Something on Emily's face changes at the mention of her former teammates. Damon shoves him and Razor glares in return. He didn't mean it offensively or anything and he likes to think Emily would automatically know that.

"I love it, Ray," Emily says softly, even more sincerely. She neatly folds the sleeves in and looks over to Damon. "Okay, your turn."

"Let's see," Damon murmurs as he tears through the paper. It's Emily's turn to laugh when Damon pulls out an equally as busy and tragic sweater, depicting a snowy winter day with a cartoon Frosty the Snowman as the main attraction, wearing sunglasses on the bridge of his carrot nose and playing a saxophone.

"You know," Razor says. "Because you're Mr. Cool."

"Thoughtful," Damon says dryly.

"A Grinch sweater would have been just as appropriate," Emily teases.

"And why exactly did you waste money on the two ugliest sweaters in the world?" Damon questions.

"Three, actually," Razor says. He reaches into the bag and pulls out his own ugly Christmas sweater, but Razor's features Santa Claus, shirtless, wearing red board shorts with a Christmas tree print and surfing a giant wave. "I thought we could go to the mall and see Santa, take holiday pictures with him."

"No," Damon shoots it down. "No way am I doing that."

Razor huffs. "Dae, don't be a downer. It's Christmas, dude. On Christmas, families take pictures and send them out to make everyone mad jealous! And the three, no, _four_ of us, are a family, so we're doing it."

Damon still looks reluctant and Emily steps in. "Damon, you're putting on this unfortunately hilarious sweater, we all are, and we're going to the mall and we're taking pictures. No argument. Now, help me up."

The boys comply, each reaching out a hand and hoisting the pregnant teen to her feet. While Emily goes to get ready, Damon and Razor toss around a football out in the front yard with the foster cousins.

"Cool place. Cool people. Doesn't seem too bad to me, Dae."

"Yeah, but it isn't where I'd envisioned I'd be at nineteen either," Damon says. "Things are good. We could be a lot worse off and I get that, but we aren't supposed to be here. She's supposed to be training for the Olympics and I'm supposed to be making my album happen and neither of us are doing that. Not even close."

"In life, no one gets to pick their cards, Damon," Razor says. He motions for the two boys to run far down the sidewalk before he spends it spiraling into the air. "We just gotta play our hand." When the little Asian boy catches the ball, Razor jumps with his hands in the air. "Yeah, Easton! That's what I'm talking about! Kid's going pro!" Marveling at how happy the little boy looks, running with the football raised over his head like a trophy, Razor grins. "Kids amuse me."

Damon can't resist a smile. "How ready are you to be an uncle?"

Turning to his best friend, Razor laughs. "_Way_ more than you are to be a dad."

With a humorless laugh, Damon murmurs, "Isn't that the truth?"

Despite Damon's strongly expressed reluctance, the three get in the car and, naturally, fight over what to listen to. The obvious decision is Christmas music, but Razor wants to listen to Mariah and the other two shoot him down immediately. Emily wants Michael Bublé, but Damon scowls, suggesting Sinatra or Nat King Cole, back to the classics. In the end, Emily wins because, duh, the pregnant girl always wins especially when her opposition is two boys.

Even with Damon's ongoing grumbling, Razor knows this is the right thing to do. The way Emily smiles and touches her tummy when they're sitting with Santa as the jolly old man (who surprisingly didn't smell of booze or cigarettes) "ho, ho, ho's" and congratulates her. When Santa asks Razor what he wants for Christmas, Razor jokingly replies, "For us to be a happy family forever!" Though, after he says it, Razor realizes he means it and that's the first thing Damon doesn't argue with him about.

They take their picture, Emily sitting beside Santa with Damon standing next to Emily with his hand on her shoulder and Razor with his arm draped around Santa, all showing off their ugly Christmas sweaters. Damon volunteers to pay for the pictures because it's what Damon does and Razor doesn't fight him on it. They even get Christmas cards made with the picture.

When Damon goes to get the car from the lot and bring it around front for them, Razor finally gets his alone time with Emily.

"So how've you been, Em?" he asks. With a scarf wrapped tight around his neck, Razor straights on the tips of his toes on the edge of the curb. Emily is busy inspecting the photos they just took.

"I've been better, but I've also been worse."

"So things are good between you and Damon?"

"Some days more than others," Emily says. "I can tell he misses Boulder. I do too." Emily sighs and kicks at the gravel. "It isn't the same, Ray. It isn't like how it used to be between Damon and me. If I weren't having his baby, he wouldn't even be around. He'd be off, dueling Austin for Princess Kaylie's attention."

"She was just a muse is all, Em," Razor reassures his friend, though he will admit it worries him sometimes the way Damon talks about his duet partner and the way he looks when Razor knows he's thinking about her. "Damon cares about you. If he didn't, he wouldn't be here right now. I don't know many guys who'd move to a totally different state for a girl. Hell, most guys I know, that girl being pregnant would be even more reason to run in the opposite direction. Not Damon. Emo sometimes, but he's a good man. He'll make a good dad. Good genes."

"I want to believe that, I do," Emily says, wrapping her arms tight around herself to try and keep warm. "It's just hard sometimes."

"I don't know. Maybe I'm just a glass half full kind of guy," Razor says with a shrug. "I feel like we should be focused on what we do have in our lives and not what we don't."

Emily looks up at him for a long moment, pensive, and Razor gives her one of his hundred-watt smiles.

"You taught me math. Now we've moved on to life lessons, I see. It only seems right," Emily says with a small smile. "You know, I'm glad you came to visit."

"Yeah, me too."

Razor slings his arm around her and Emily presses her face into the wool of his ugly Christmas sweater. They've definitely come a long way since their first encounter and the way he so shamelessly pursued her. Razor's almost glad Damon pulled a robbery. Had he dated Emily for a little while just for it to fail, they probably wouldn't be as good of friends and Razor loves being friends.

When Damon finally picks them up, they take him to In-N-Out for burgers and fries. Damon cracks a smile at Emily and tells her he loves how she actually eats real food now. He then goes on to tell Razor stories about Emily's eating adventures on Thanksgiving. In return, Emily just gives Damon a playful glare and steals his animal-style fries. Watching the exchange, Razor smiles. He knows they'll be okay. In love or not, there's still companionship and commitment to it. They'll both make great parents. Razor isn't too worried.

On the drive home, they give up on trying to agree on what to listen to, shut off the radio and sing their own Christmas songs a cappella. They go back to Emily's house, where Emily's aunt and the boys are baking gingerbread cookies. There are arts and craft supplies out on the coffee table in the living room, waiting for them so they can make their own Christmas ornaments, documenting their first Christmas spent in Vegas.

After having dinner and watching _The Santa Claus _on TV with the kids, Damon and Razor head out, but instead of returning to the motel, they explore Vegas instead. Despite neither of them being legal to drink or gamble, there's surprisingly a lot to do. Razor doesn't get his peanut butter and fried banana sandwich with Elvis, but he does sing _Jingle Bells_ with a dirty (probably homeless) _definitely_ drunk Santa on the street, which is cool too.

On Christmas morning, they all sit around the living room and Razor surprises Emily with how the Rock girls used him as messenger and he has a bag full of presents for her from them (he already gave Damon his present from Kaylie back at the motel) and Emily's uncle cooks them a feast. When it's time to go home, Razor almost doesn't want to leave, but at least he can go with confidence that Emily and Damon are stable. Razor promises to visit again, if they don't visit Colorado first and that he'll for sure be around when the baby arrives.

Without any specific instruction from Emily herself, Razor spends out their Christmas cards to all her friends (so what if it's after Christmas?) and personally brings one over to Chloe and Brian, along with a digital camera of pictures he collected throughout his trip. Underneath the picture of the three of them with Santa and the festive border, is the little message: _Happy Holidays! From Our Family to Yours! Razor, Damon, Emily and Baby._

With it is the underlying message that Emily Kmetko isn't to be pitied. Life just dealt her a surprise hand and by Razor's assessment, she's playing it right.

* * *

><p><span>AN: Aww, I miss Razor and Damon and even Emily (more season 1 Emily and not whiney-whiney season 3 Emily) and as you all should know, I have a thing for castoff characters. I kinda feel like they set Emily up to be our main protagonist in s1 and then set her up to fail in s2. Also, Google ugly Christmas sweaters. It makes me happy.

Contributions: Open. PM me. Get yo fingers in this Santa-shaped cookie jar!

Next: Very likely it'll be Nickelly and something about how pretty she looks with snow in her hair. AND the Ellen Beals suggestion is appealing to me more and more. I'll take any more suggestions! What do you want to see me _attempt_?

R_eview!_

Xoxo


	3. Mistletoe PaysonAustin

Disclaimer: Sometimes I forget, but, yep, I don't own anything.

A/N: HELLO, FANDOM! So, if you haven't heard, I'm crazy and I've challenged myself to do as many Christmas oneshots as I can for this month. I'll be doing a variety of ships, sometimes not even ships, just character-specific, some serious and sweet, others pure crack, canon and even my personal AU. Consider this my Christmas gift to y'all.

Summary: "It's mistletoe, Keeler. That means you're supposed to kiss me." Paystin

* * *

><p><strong>-BB-<strong>

**Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime **

3

"And why exactly do you need my help decorating?" Payson asks. Sitting in the passenger seat of Austin's sports car, Payson secures the seat belt across her chest.

"Because." Austin has one hand on the steering wheel, in complete control of his car, watching the roads that grow icier the deeper they dive into December. "Things are still a little awkward between Kaylie and me after the break up." Austin notices Payson shake her head out of the corner of his eye. Clearly a nonverbal _I told you so_. "Lauren and I aren't exactly friends and Emily split long before Max even did."

"So I'm your last resort?"

"No," he says, drawing out the word in this long, playful way. "Plus, I figure all these years growing up with parents like yours, you must be an expert. Me, on the other hand, I'm kinda new to all this."

Payson looks sincerely upset. "Your parents didn't celebrate Christmas?"

"We did. Sort of," Austin replies. He sets his eyes straight on the road, hoping it'd be easier to get the words out this way. Even during his short romance with Kaylie, they never talked about this stuff. Only ever Emily. And now Payson. "We didn't have a lot of money growing up. I didn't understand at the time and I'd throw some memorable tantrums. It was never like one of those made for TV Christmas movies or anything. Then, when I moved out and on my own, I kinda stopped celebrating."

"And now you want to?"

"Yeah, sounds like fun," Austin says. "I don't usually stay in one place for too long. It surprises even me that I'm still hanging around the Rock."

"That makes both of us," Payson says. Austin glances over at her, trying to figure out if that's a good or bad thing. He chooses to believe the former. "The Rock isn't really known for having male gymnasts who stick around for too long. Or maybe just gymnasts in general."

They both think about Emily. Even after the time that's passed, it's inevitable. With Emily leaving after Payson gave her that speech on the couch about going to the Olympics together and Max leaving to get away from all the pre-Worlds drama, both Payson and Austin kinda lost their best friends. Somehow, without either of them realizing, they've kind of become each other's best friend.

"S'okay," Austin says gently. "We just need to get it done for everyone who can't. But, you know, mostly for us." Payson smiles and Austin does the same. "I'm calling it right now. You and me, Keeler. Ride or die. London. 2012."

Austin holds out a fist for her to pound, but Payson just shakes her head and says, "You should really have both hands on the wheel."

"I should also really respect Kaylie and Lauren's request that I not invite Carter to my party, but I'm not. I took it into consideration like they asked and I declined. He's my buddy. And his parents suck. Of course I'm not turning him away on Christmas," Austin explains. He still has his fist out, waiting for a bump.

"Austin, I'm not joking. 9-3 position."

"You mean 10-2?"

"No, 9-3."

"Says who?" he asks.

"The American Automobile Association," Payson answers smartly with a straight face. "And my dad."

When Payson refuses to reciprocate the fist bump, Austin shakes his head, murmurs, "lighten up, Pay," and puts both hands on the steering wheel just to make her happy. When they finally reach the lake house, it's even colder out, being so close to the water. Payson gathers the bags in the backseat and Austin goes to the trunk to grab the rest, particularly a figure wrapped in newspaper and Payson's eyes widen.

"Is that what I think it is?"

"Not a dead body. Cross my heart," Austin says. "I got it off some guy on Craig's List."

"Yeah, not helping your case there, Tucker."

"Come on. Let's get inside. It's freezing." With the dead body slug over his shoulder, he has his other hand on the small of Payson's back, careful guiding her through the slush (like Austin Tucker has the time to shovel snow) and to the front door. Inside, the lake house seems so much quieter and emptier ever since Max moved out.

"Have you found a new roommate yet?" Payson asks.

"Haven't looked," Austin replies.

"Better question," she says, "Are you ever going to start?"

Austin shrugs his shoulders. "It isn't like I need someone to help make rent or anything."

"But you do need someone to sit around with you, play your video games, fight over not doing dishes," Payson says, glancing over to where the Christmas tree is laid across the couch, not even setup. "And apparently to tell you to put up your Christmas tree. That's first on your list. I can't think of anything you need more done before the party."

"Roger that, but first…" Austin turns up the thermostat on the wall and blows how air into his palms. He then goes to the Craig's List treasure of his and tears through the newspaper, revealing a life-size Santa. Austin excitedly looks to Payson as he smoothes his fingers down Santa's beard. "He dances _and_ sings _three_ different songs. Cool, right?"

Payson gives him a _look_. "Sure, if the theme of your party is Have a Tacky Christmas."

Austin clicks his tongue as he fully unwraps Santa and carelessly tosses the newspaper aside. "Something tells me someone's been hanging out with Kelly Parker. Tisk. I always knew the girl was a bad influence. Hanging out with her will get you on the naughty list for sure."

"Austin, the tree," Payson says, trying to keep him on task. He opens his mouth, about to suggest she move in here because he just loves the way she orders him around, but then he has Sexy Lessons flashbacks. So much has happened since then, with Max and with Kaylie, but now here they are and Max and Kaylie aren't.

"Why yes, Payson, what a great _suggestion_. Setting up tree is man's work," he murmurs, doing this awkward walk that's supposed to be in the style of a caveman to match his tone. He knows she's smiling even with his back to her. Making her smile has become somewhat of a pastime. "Do you need me to suggest something for you to do while I work on this?"

"Say make you a sandwich or anything that remotely suggests women belong in the kitchen and I'm walking out right now," Payson warns.

"Why would you even _think_ I would suggest such a thing?" Austin says in a voice he intends to be innocent. However, that smirk gives him away immediately. "I have an infinite respect for women."

"Uh-huh."

Smiling to himself, Austin starts to get the tree upright while Payson unpacks all the decorations. The Keelers were nice enough to lend Austin some of their extra ornaments, lights, tinsel and garland. Austin also got a bunch of decorations free off Craig's List and they stopped by the store before driving over here. Payson hadn't been doing anything when Austin dropped by to pickup whatever they weren't using and Kim had suggest she help him out. Payson, of course, had been hesitant, but Austin just smiled and said he'd love her company.

"So, when you were a kid, did you buy into the whole fat man home invader, spelunking down the chimney and leaving presents free of charge?" Austin asks as they work on their individual jobs.

"And that he flew in a sled of reindeer, Snowmen came to life and Christmas trees have feelings," Payson says. Any other girl would say it sarcastically or be embarrassed, but not Payson. She just laughs reminiscently, inspecting a snowflake-shaped ornament. "Until I was about ten. My parents still insisted on putting on a show though, for my little sister. Becca realized _ages_ ago, but still pretended to believe to get more presents as long as she could."

Austin chuckles. He almost forgot they both have younger sisters. They have something else in common besides being gifted gymnasts and really attractive.

"What about you?" Payson asks.

"Nope," Austin answers. Payson looks utterly crushed and he only chuckles. "You don't know my dad. He worked every day of his life to get where he is and he's damn proud. He never lets me forget it. Whenever he'd buy us things, he made sure that we knew _he_ bought it for us, products of his hard work not some fictional fat man."

"That's kind of sad."

Austin shrugs his shoulders. "I tried for my sister though. I tried to give her something of a normal childhood." Once he gets the tree standing on its own, Austin plops down onto the couch, looking rather nostalgic. "My mom would sneak me money to buy my little sister presents and then I'd sneak them to her, say it's from Santa. It was kinda fun."

"That's really sweet," Payson says tenderly. Austin tilts his head back to look at her and their eyes meet. She always seems so surprised when he proves he isn't such a bad guy and it makes Austin feel something, pride maybe, every single time.

"Thanks," he says. He digs into one of the packages and lines form in his cheeks with the way he smiles. Austin pulls out a plastic bag containing a green clump of leaves with attached berries, held together with a red ribbon. Curious, Austin leans in to smell it and then waves it at Payson to get her attention. "I wonder if we can smoke it…"

"Really, Austin? And everyone wonders why Kaylie broke up with you?"

"Ouch. That hurt, Pay. I might just have to excuse myself, have a good cry and leave you to put up the rest of the decorations yourself. And by the way, _I_ broke it off. Maybe I just realized I like blondes more than I do brunettes," Austin says. Part of him is joking along with her and the other park he ignores entirely. Still twisting the mistletoe between his thumb and index finger, Austin leans over and holds the mistletoe above him and Payson. "It's mistletoe, Keeler. That means you're supposed to kiss me."

Payson pushes his hand away. "Nice try, but that move only works on Christmas."

Austin huffs. Shucks. "Since when was that a rule?"

"Since I said so and I am your Christmas expert, remember?" Payson says. She grabs a box and shoves it into his arms. "Now, you string up the lights and I'll work on the tinsel situation."

Payson stands up from the couch, busily moving around the living room. She goes into this nervous ramble about all the things they need to do and Austin eventually gets up, leaving the mistletoe on the coffee table, practically forgotten.

When Christmas finally comes along, Austin holds what he calls his Holiday Hangover, late in the night once everyone gets the chance to sneak away after spending the day with their families. What seems to be tradition is Lauren bugging Payson while wearing one of her signature low-cut little numbers (that honestly might as well just be lingerie), asking why Payson stole Mrs. Claus' dress. Austin is quick to step in (it's just who he is) and tells Lauren he got her a Christmas present and points over to where Carter is by the refreshments. Beyond pissed ("What the hell, Austin? I told you not to invite him!") Lauren stomps off to warn Kaylie. Austin grins and tells Payson that her dress makes her look hot. She smiles back.

"So, enjoying the party?" he asks.

"Yeah. It took us an entire day, but everything looks great," Payson says. She takes a look around the lake house, the tree full and beautifully decorated, flames jumping and crackling in the fireplace, lights strung around the house, garland, wreaths and ribbons. Christmas music playing in the background is the last, perfect touch. "Although, I'm pretty sure someone spiked the punch."

It was Austin, but he isn't about to outright admit it to her.

"Ah, it's Christmas. I say we let them have their fun," Austin says. He starts to walk across the room, away from the music and the party chatter, hands twisted behind his back and Payson follows. "I just wanted to say thank you for helping me out the other day. I know your mom and me kinda cornered you into it, but I doubt things would have turned out this great if I was on my own."

"Knowing you, dancing Santa would have probably been the main attraction."

"I still don't know about putting him outside, Payson."

"Austin, I told you he's out there to greet the guests."

"And probably freezing his beard off," he jokes along with her.

Payson laughs. "Seriously though, I really didn't mind helping you out. I figure I owe you from when you were teaching me how to be sexy…and I cannot believe I just reminded you of that painful, _painful_ memory," Payson says quickly, nervously. Austin smiles. She can be so adorable sometimes. Someone like her, someone like him, it makes no sense why they even hang out. "What I'm trying to say is I didn't mind at all. That's what friends are for, right?"

"Thank you." Austin takes another step forward just to fall back with a playfully wince. "I just have one more request then you're totally, completely free and relieved from your Christmas elf duties."

Payson sighs heavily just to be dramatic. "What now?"

"Look up."

She does as she's told, her long blonde hair falling to frame her face, and her eyes nearly bulge from the socket when she sees the mistletoe hanging above them. With his hands still behind his back, Austin can't help, but grin and push up on his toes, standing a little taller in his excitement. Payson's eyes shoot over to him and then up to the mistletoe and then back down to him.

"Nu-uh! Austin, you jerk! You totally led me here!" Payson accuses, slugging his arm.

Laughing, Austin childishly repeats his saying from earlier in the week, "Keeler, it's mistletoe. That means you have to kiss me."

Payson's face reddens and her shoulders curl in on herself. She looks so unfairly cute and innocent that Austin reconsiders for maybe a second. Of course a girl like her wouldn't be down for this, especially with a guy like him. Austin's ready to bow out, to tell her that it's cool, that they don't have to, that the look on her face is enough of a Christmas gift for him. Before he can get out a word, Payson quickly looks around. It seems none of the other party guests notice where they're standing and what's hovering above them.

"Fine, but not here and I'm warning you if you do anything, _anything_ with your tongue, I am officially never talking to you ever again."

Austin _so_ doubts that, but just nods along to her terms anyways. He wants to take her hand as he leads her out through the side door and out onto the deserted patio. It's freezing and mostly dark, but the lights are on, outlining the house and it creates this almost exhilarating mood that only the combination of cold, light and Christmas can produce. Once they're far enough from the party that no one should be able to see them and they should hear if someone comes outside, Payson promptly turns to face him.

"Okay, just do it."

Payson shuts her eyes, looking super anxious.

"Oh, kiss you? I thought you meant start the anesthesia for your root canal. How romantic, Payson," Austin says sarcastically. Her shoulders drop and her eyes open. "You can at least _pretend_ you aren't turned off by the idea of kissing me."

"I'm not. I just—"

Austin presses a finger to her lips to save her from any further embarrassment. She narrows her brows a bit and meets his eyes and now Austin knows exactly why every male gymnast he's ever met has at one point had a crush on _the_ Payson Keeler. But he doesn't see her the way they do. All they ever saw was the strong, beautiful Payson Keeler destined for greatness. Austin sees her for what she really is—strong, beautiful, destined—but also caring, companionate and friggin' cute when she's embarrassed.

When he kisses her, he does it nice and slow, savoring the chance to be this close to her and a little afraid he might never get the chance again. He gently takes her bottom lip between his, slowly takes to the top, then together and finally, she kisses his back. Their lips linger and he gives her the power to control how long they hold on to this moment before breaking the kiss, a tradition fulfilled.

He's almost afraid of how she'll react, but when they finally pull away and he sees her grinning, Austin is finally convinced his first Christmas in Boulder was a complete and utter success.

* * *

><p><span>AN: I had to. Because you asked and it's been a while since I've written the Paystin route. I'll probably do another. I really want to do one with Austin and his kids, spoiling them rotten, but I don't know who will be the mother yet…

Contributions: Open. PM me. Get yo fingers in this Santa-shaped cookie jar!

Next: Nickelly! Foreal this time. Also, I've got an AusEm also in the works...

R_eview!_

Xoxo


	4. Snowfall Kind of Love NickyKelly

Disclaimer: Sometimes I forget, but, yep, I don't own anything.

A/N: HELLO, FANDOM! So, if you haven't heard, I'm crazy and I've challenged myself to do as many Christmas oneshots as I can for this month. I'll be doing a variety of ships, sometimes not even ships, just character-specific, some serious and sweet, others pure crack, canon and even my personal AU. Consider this my Christmas gift to y'all.

Summary: "I'd _love_ to be your boyfriend. I've been getting tired of telling people I'm Kelly Parker's bitch boy." Nickelly

* * *

><p><strong>-BB-<strong>

**Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime**

4

Nicky is pretty sure this is like, his stupidest idea ever and Kelly is going to hate it, but whatever because it's all set in motion and there's no chickening out during Christmastime.

His boots crunch against the snow-covered concrete as he walks up the long driveway that leads to the Kelly's house. Snow is coming down in little flurries, covering everything in sight. His bare hands are nearly frozen in the front pockets of his jeans as he treks forward. Nicky always makes it a point to park two blocks away just incase Hurricane Sheila arrives ahead of schedule, like life-destroying storms often do. Her seeing his car in the driveway is just asking to ruin the holiday mood.

Nicky wouldn't say they're _dating_ or _in a relationship_ or any of those labels that would scare a girl like Kelly Parker straight out the door. They just kind of _are_ and he's pretty sure she isn't doing this with any other guys here in Colorado just like how he isn't with any of the girls in Texas. They talk on the phone a lot when they're apart and it's the highlight of his day. Sometimes they don't even talk, but just knowing she's there on the end of the line makes him feel _something_ and he doesn't ever want to let that (her) go.

When he finally reaches her front door, Nicky presses his finger firmly to the doorbell. With the lack of coverage, snow continues to fall on him and melt on his coat. Right when he reaches for the bell again, the front door creeks open.

"Nick…?"

Kelly sounds so soft and surprised, rubbing the sleep from her eyes free of any makeup. She wears this comfy off-white sweater that reminds him of the matching ones the U.S. women's team wore at Worlds. It was what she had on when they met up in Rio for the first time since he left Denver. He spent that entire first day with his A-game smirk, trying to think of ways to get her out of that sweater. Since he's Nicky Russo he failed (of course), but simply getting to spend time with her was good enough.

"Merry Christmas, Kelly Parker," Nicky says with a smile. A red ribbon is tied around his neck with an attached piece of paper in the shape of a giant gift tag. Kelly laughs and rolls her eyes when she reads what's scribbled on it.

_To: Kelly Parker _

_From: God _

She folds her arms and shakes her head. "You think you're God's gift to Kelly Parker?"

Tilting his head, Nicky replies, "Something like that."

"Nick, you're a dork."

He's ready to argue her on it like he always is and does, but then she steps out and moves in front of him, arms automatically encircling his neck. She feels nice up against him, wearing the biggest smile. He touches her cheek with his bare hand and she flinches, his icy fingertips a shock to her warm, delicate skin. Before Nicky can apology and do his self-conscious Nick thing he's known for, Kelly leans up and kisses him. The warmth of her mouth is intoxicating and the taste of her comforting.

"Your lips are cold," Kelly whispers when they pull apart.

Nicky says the first thing that comes to him, cursing his stunted ability to form words. "You…you look really pretty with snow in your hair."

He brushes his thumb against her cheek before gently touching her hair. This here and now, the way she smiles because she simply can't not smile, her coffee colored hair out of those buns and catching snowflakes, it's a feeling he wants to hold on to forever. Kelly kisses him again despite his cold lips before taking his hand and dragging him inside. As romantic as it is, kissing in the snow, he really wouldn't mind being able to feel his face again.

"Don't worry. My mom just left."

"I know," he answers, unzipping and sliding his jacket off. Kelly tosses her hair about before turning to Nicky with a raised brow. "Let me guess. Ellen Beals called. There was an emergency down at Denver Elite and your mom needed to get down there right away?"

"Yes," Kelly answers, slow and suspicious. "Oh my God. Don't tell me you set DE on fire! Nick, I train there!"

She beats a fist against his arm and Nicky squares his shoulders, smiling cheekily. "No. I didn't burn down your gym. If I'm not mistaken, right about now, DE is practically empty, except for Ellen Beals doing paperwork, maybe Marty passed out in his office if not at the bar already. I might have possibly gotten Max and Austin to go in with Santa masks, lock Ellen Beals out and draw little evil mastermind mustaches on all the posters and cardboard cutouts of you. And your mom, president of the Parents Board, has the only spare key."

"Is the mustache part really necessary?"

"Max and Austin had to get some kind of amusement out of it."

"Assholes. All three of you," Kelly hisses, hitting him again. "Do you know how much all that promo stuff costs?"

"What? Like your mom doesn't have a dozen more in her mobile _office_." Kelly raises her fist again like she's going to hit him but Nicky just smiles and wraps his arms around her, pulling her close. "We're calling it Max's Christmas gift to me—not like he ever gets me anything for Christmas to begin with—_and _apparently I owe him fifty bucks."

"You do know that Marty keeps a shotgun under his desk, right?"

"Really?"

"Right next to the bottle of Jack," Kelly says knowingly. "And something tells me he's just waiting for a reason to actually use it."

"Crap," Nicky says. He's genuinely concerned for a second and Kelly just laughs at his expression. "I should text Max and warn him, shouldn't I?"

"Nah. They should be fine," Kelly says offhandedly. "You should probably just kiss me again."

Nicky smiles and does as she says. Without breaking the kiss, Kelly digs her fingers into the material of his shirt right around his ribs and tugs him to the couch. The physical part of their relationship is just something that escaladed with every time they touched. A kiss out of impulse turned into more and more and more and more. Nicky really is a fan of the irony of it all, how two of the most robotic and cold gymnasts in the game can create so much heat together.

"I can't believe you're actually here," Kelly says. She kicks her shoes off and curls her legs beneath her, sitting with Nicky on the couch in front of the TV. Nicky keeps his arm tight around her and she leans into him, tracing down the length of his fingers with the tips of hers.

"Two hour plane ride. My dad picked me up and we sat in awkward silence until we got home. Dropped my stuff off, called Max to set everything up and now I'm here," Nicky explains. "I didn't tell you because I wanted it to be surprise. Of course I'd come home for Christmas. Any excuse to see you."

She presses her lips together to try and suppress how badly she wants to smile. "Hmm, technically, Christmas isn't for another couple weeks."

Nicky chuckles, leaning in until his head touches her. "Well, that sucks for you. That means you have to wait till then to open your present."

Kelly gives him this _are you kidding_ expression. She runs her fingers across the silk red ribbon hanging down his shoulder, takes it off him and tosses it aside before letting her hands play across the buttons of his shirt at the neckline. Never once does she break eye contact. "Want to bet?"

"Okay, okay. I think we both know just how easily you can get me out of my shirt," Nicky says and Kelly smiles, tyumphan. She kisses his cheek before resting her head on his shoulder and in return Nicky relaxes with her, brushing his lips across her temple. "So what are your plans for Christmas?"

"Spending the day with my mom just like every other Christmas. Well, if you can call it that. She'll probably pace around her office, making calls, bugging people on friggin' Christmas day and I'll watch whatever's on TV," Kelly explains unenthusiastically. "I love my mom, but, honestly, I'd much rather spend it with you like this."

"Same here. I'll be with my dad and the rest of the family, pretending we're so happy and close when we only see each other a few times a year," Nicky says just as dully. "We'll figure something out even if it means I have to climb the tree outside your window."

"Please don't. In this weather? You, Nick? If you fall and end up in the hospital, I don't want to take the blame for ruining your career or the lawsuit for you falling on our property," Kelly says. His brows furrow at her. How the hell did she come up with that scenario so quickly? "Anyways, what about your plans for tomorrow?"

"My dad wants me to stop by DE with a bottle of wine for Marty."

"As if Marty needs any more alcohol. It's basically a sixth food group to him." Kelly scowls, but there's this underlying concern in her voice. Nicky frowns and moves his hand to her knee. "Afterwards, you want to come shopping with me?"

"You mean, with you and your new Rock friends?"

"Maybe," Kelly says innocently. Nicky dramatically sighs. That's a yes. "But it's not like you'll be the only guy. I'm sure Austin will be there to complain and carry around all of Kaylie's bags."

"Awkward small talk with Austin Tucker. As if Max doesn't put me through that enough."

"Fine. If you don't want to spend time with me then whatever."

"But it isn't going to be spending time with you. It'll be watching you spend time with your friends while I carry around your things. Parks, that's practically slavery," Nicky argues. Kelly starts to scoot away from him and Nicky groans. "What about next weekend?"

"I actually have plans," she answers.

When Kelly doesn't immediately give him the details, just leans forward to grab the TV remote, Nicky grows curious. He asks, "Well, are you going to let me in on what these plans are…?"

"I'm going to see my dad. We've been e-mailing back and forth for the last few months now and he wants to have dinner," Kelly explains. She doesn't tell Nicky much about her dad, just that he got sick of Sheila's obsession with Kelly's career (Nicky doesn't blame him) and so he left. "It's the classic dad blames mom and mom blames dad for why he moved out. At this point, I don't even care. I just want to see him."

"Does your mom know?"

"No," Kelly says. "And she can't find out. It'll kill her. She'll go into one of her pity parties about how she isn't enough for me and you know I hate that. So I figured it all out. I'm meeting my dad the same night as Joey's annual Christmas party. I told mom I'm going solely to maintain my status of DE HBIC and remind them who owns them. But instead of watching losers play Christmas Carol Pictionary, I'm driving to Colorado Springs to see him for the first time since I was like, nine. I don't know. I've just…always wondered about him, you know? And now since Christmas is about family and all that, I figure why not?"

"That's really cool, Kel," he says, giving her knee a supportive squeeze. "Do you want company on the drive?"

"I was actually hoping you'd…come to dinner?" she says, trying to make it sound like it isn't a big deal when it obviously is. "I know we never said we're dating officially or anything and even if we were I know it'd be way too soon to be introducing you to my family, but he's bringing the woman he's seeing and her kids, maybe to take off some of the pressure and I could really use you there."

Her eyes are big and pleading like he will destroy her if he says no as easily as he shot down shopping with her and her friends. She's giving him her closely guarded power and control and so Nicky turns to face her and takes a deep breath. "I wouldn't miss it," he says.

"You sure?" she asks sharply. "Don't feel like you can't say no. I can totally just go by myself."

"I want to," Nicky assures her. "You can even introduce me as your boyfriend…you know…if you want." She's shameless with the way she watches for the slightest change in his face and Nicky nervously licks his lips in the silence. He stares at their hands as he traces over the lines of her palm. "Or…not."

"I kinda want to," Kelly says coyly, "…say you're my boyfriend."

She looks absolutely petrified and he freezes. Nicky goes with his instinct, says what first comes to him. "Uh, good."

Kelly's forehead crinkles. "Good…? I tell you I want you to be my boyfriend and you say _good_?"

Nicky smiles because he knows her and she'd definitely stomp her foot at him if they were standing. "Good," he says again with much more certainty. "I'd _love_ to be your boyfriend. I've been getting tired of telling people I'm Kelly Parker's bitch boy."

Throwing her head back, Kelly laughs and Nicky leans in to kiss her sweetly. They spend some time just staring at each other with matching smiles before Kelly finally gets up and asks him if he wants some tea. Before he can respond, headlights flash through the window and a car pulls up in the driveway. Cursing beneath her breath, Kelly moves over to the window and sure enough, Sheila's home. Nicky's already back on his feet and reaching for his coat.

"This sucks," Kelly whines.

"Speak for yourself. I'm the one that has to go back out in the cold," Nicky says, zipping his jacket up as they walk to the sliding door at the back of the house. Nicky pushes the door open, letting in a blast of cold, but before he leaves, he backtracks and says, "So I guess we're going shopping tomorrow, aren't we?"

Nicky gives in like he always does, but he thinks it's worth it when he sees the way her face brightens. "No. Lucky for you I'm antislavery," Kelly says. "I'll call you when I'm done with the girls. Maybe we can meet up."

Smirking, Nicky kisses her just as the front door loudly creaks open. Kelly shoves Nicky outside and slides the glass door shut. Nicky stands on the other side, dramatically frowning and he doesn't move even when Kelly shoos him away with her hands. His breath fogs up the glass and Nicky draws a heart in it, making Kelly roll her eyes and smile, before he finally starts his journey back to his SUV.

The next day, after Kelly's trunk is full of shopping bags and after Nicky goes to see Marty, they meet up at a nearby park and walk around in the snow. Kelly tells Nicky about how last night in the middle of Sheila's rant about the "hoodlums" and "vandalism" down at DE (which Kelly was only half-listening to) her mom suddenly stops and asks what's the meaning of the piece of paper with "To Kelly Parker From God" on it. Nicky laughs and Kelly hisses that it isn't funny, picking up a handful of snow and smashing it atop his head.

When the next weekend rolls around, Kelly is so nervous about meeting her dad that she can barely think straight so Nicky smartly volunteers to drive. Kelly wears this short, little white dress that she bought just for the occasion and a cozy winter coat with ankle boots. Nicky tells her that she looks cold, but also pretty and she tells him to quit checking her out and turn up the heater because it's freaking freezing.

On the drive, Nicky does his best to distract Kelly with car games as they listen to a mix of Christmas music. Mostly, they trade Christmas stories, both good and bad. Nicky tells her about how the festivities have died down since his mother passed away, but also how she was the coolest mom in the world and would annually refer to herself as a "gingerbread architectress." In return, Kelly tells him stories of a time when her mom wasn't a complete nightmare, but one who used to bake cupcakes with her and actually let Kelly eat one or two.

They meet her dad outside a nice restaurant and Nicky sees the resemblance more than he expected. Mr. Parker is a lean, older gentleman and isn't very tall, which means, yes, Kelly Parker was predestined to be _that_ short. Nicky knows the evening will be a good one when Mr. Parker's face genuinely lights up in the same way Kelly's does during their long overdue hug. He gets so caught up in watching from afar that Nicky's heart thumps loudly when Kelly looks at him from over her shoulder and holds her hand out to him. Coming up beside her, Nicky laces their fingers and smiles nervously.

Nicky thinks it's probably best he isn't the type who takes the time to thoughtful construct a detailed Christmas wish list because he's certain hearing Kelly say, "Dad, this is my boyfriend, Nicky Russo," is better than any other Christmas present he could ever ask for.

* * *

><p><span>AN: You all should know that this is _mah ship_. I had to. This is probably as close to fluff as I get. What'd you think? As always, I'm open to suggestions.

Contributions: Open. PM me. Add your own reindeer to my sled!

Next: I have accepted the challenge of Lauren/Austin! I'm kind of excited for you to read that one. It's a little dark and disturbing, but I mean their names spell _Lust_. I'm also considering Payson/Sasha and I already have an Emily/Austin waiting in the wings. Also, **LCTD** is writing a Kaylicky EPIC. Look forward to her doubling the word count in one shot...

R_eview!_

Xoxo


	5. Candy Canes And Cold LaurenAustin

Disclaimer: Sometimes I forget, but, yep, I don't own anything.

A/N: HELLO, FANDOM! So, if you haven't heard, I'm crazy and I've challenged myself to do as many Christmas oneshots as I can for this month. I'll be doing a variety of ships, sometimes not even ships, just character-specific, some serious and sweet, others pure crack, canon and even my personal AU. Consider this my Christmas gift to y'all.

Summary: Austin huffs. How does gift exchanges and evergreen tree genocide have anything to do with pretending Lauren Tanner isn't a slut? Austin/Lauren

Warning: Kinda dark and gritty, but I couldn't see Lauren/Austin being fluffy in any way, shape or form. So, instead, I present you with this Christmas gem…

* * *

><p><strong>-BB-<strong>

**Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime **

5

His girlfriend is talking to him and Austin can't seem to pay attention because out of the corner of his eye there's Lauren Tanner sucking on a candy cane.

She puckers her wet, red lips and twirls the hard piece of candy in her mouth, all with a blaze expression on her face. The worst part is that she doesn't even realize she's doing it. Lauren Tanner revels in the glory of her sexuality, flaunts it, uses it, dangles it in front of other people to lure in boys and remind girls that they can't compete. Right now, however, her eyes are on the floor, lost in thought. She doesn't even realize how hyper sexual she is. A part of him plays devil's advocate, proposing that maybe it's _him_ hyper sexual_izing_ _her_, but Austin just pushes the idea away. That's stupid.

"—And I still need to figure out what to get Lauren for Christmas…" Kaylie's voice trails off.

"A new box of condoms, maybe?" Austin jokes. "New batteries for her—"

"Lalalalalala," Payson sings, holding her hands over her ears. Austin smirks and tilts his head to the innocent blonde while Kaylie glares and gives his arm a scolding slap.

Austin simply shrugs his shoulders. "What? You asked."

"Austin," Kaylie says. "I know you blame Lauren for Max leaving—"

"You say it like she doesn't deserve it," Austin says, not even caring to let her finish what she was saying. He doesn't know why Kaylie insists on defending the gym whore. It drives him crazy how everyone just puts up with the bullshit Lauren pulls. "Kaylie, the girl attempted to rape him several times and was the one behind the wheel in the accident that kept him out of Worlds. _Worlds. _If anything, she deserves the blame."

"So Lauren has made some mistakes, but it's almost Christmas," Kaylie points out. Austin huffs. How does gift exchanges and evergreen tree genocide have anything to do with pretending Lauren Tanner isn't a slut? "Christmas is about acceptance and community."

"Acceptance and community? No, I'm pretty sure that's _Thanksgiving_. And not even the _real_ Thanksgiving—"

"_Austin_."

"What?"

"Are you two really about to get into a fight over Lauren?" Payson interrupts. She's a good friend like that. Austin almost feels bad when he realizes that standing here with them must be just as awkward as it must be annoying.

"All I'm asking is for him to take a break from crucifying her at least till we get through the holidays. Having my best friend and boyfriend get along for once would be nice," Kaylie reiterates. "Lauren was in that car accident too. She lost her mom. Her dad and Summer called off their engagement. I think you're forgetting that Lauren has been through a lot too and she could use all the support she can get."

Despite Kaylie's nice little speech, Austin grumbles his protest. He isn't even too sure about what he's saying, but he knows he has to say something and he knows Kaylie does not want to hear what's going through his head. Eventually, Austin complies just so he won't have to hear about it from her anymore. While Kaylie and Payson go on to talk about gift ideas for their moms, Austin's eyes are back on Lauren, across the gym, still with her lips wrapped around that candy cane.

Girls like her are trouble. Promiscuous. Mostly (Austin never admits it, barely even to himself) because girls like her appeal to his deeply embedded demon. The guy he used to be. The one whose eyes had no control, constantly roaming over ass, over breasts, then lastly eye to eye. He knows eye sex has to be a real thing because he's seen it and he's done it. Sometimes that was as far as the foreplay ever went.

But he's over that. Austin is over playing games with girls like her, who think they can get what they want with their ass and breasts and sex. He has Kaylie, who's wholesome and pretty and so clearly not one of those girl. And things are better for him now. He keeps the demon in chains, repressed, locked away in memories he never revisits.

That's why the fangs automatically come out around Lauren, especially when she's practically humping the beam or when Lauren would make eyes at Max. Max was as weak as Austin used to be and that's why he pushed Max to Payson, who's just as wholesome and just as pretty and even farther from the dangerous type like Lauren.

"See something you like?" Lauren sneers. Snaps Austin right out of his thoughts. She starts walking towards him, moving her hips from side to side, slinky like a snake. She slides the candy cane out from between her lips, red faded, tip sharpened. "Some advice? Take a picture. It'll last longer."

"Oh, I would. I'd even get my buddy, Max, to, but, oh, he isn't here, is he?" Austin retorts. He knows this is far from what Kaylie meant about Christmastime and community, but his control slips just a little whenever the blonde homewrecker is around.

Lauren's face darkens, eyeing him out. It seems the hate is mutual.

"Hey Lo," Kaylie says sweetly, distractingly. "Spruce Juice? Then we're meeting KP for some Christmas shopping in Denver. You in?"

"Sure. Let me just get my things."

Lauren gives Austin one last look of pure, smoldering hatred before she makes her way to the locker room. Kaylie gives Austin a look of her own, which plainly communicates a _did nothing we just talked about resonate with you, seriously, Austin_, before she shouts for Lauren to wait up and goes running off behind the blonde.

"You better be getting Kaylie something nice for Christmas," Payson teases.

Austin groans irritably. "Tell me, why are you friends with Lauren Tanner again?"

"Lauren does a lot of stupid, reckless things, but we're a team," Payson explains. "Like it or not, we're stuck together and we need each other. And Kaylie has a point. Though I don't think we should be making excuses for her acting the way she does, Lauren does have a lot going on."

Austin smiles. Payson Keeler. Forever levelheaded and just.

"Have fun playing Sex and the City with your girls," Austin says, a teasing tone of his own. Payson's expression deflates because even she knows Austin pegged her next four hours even if neither of them has seen an episode ever. "Make sure she gets me something cool. Hey, and if it's clothes, nothing that makes me look like a douche, huh?" Austin gives her shoulders a playful shake. "Alright. Tell Kaylie I had to go, but I'll call her tonight. Later, Pay."

"Something tells me she won't like you leaving without saying goodbye."

"I've got an important Skype date. Kaylie I can handle, the wrath of Ava is something different entirely," Austin says. He hates using his sister as a Get Out of Jail Free card, but he always gets his way when he does and when he tells his sister later, she just rolls her eyes and tells him that it better have been worth it.

Austin can't wait to spend Christmas with his family. He misses his mom babying him, cooking his favorite foods without being asked and prying into his social life, joking about having illegitimate grandchildren out there that she should be babying instead. He misses drinking canned beers with his dad and talking about sports (other than gymnastics) and fighting over old-school automobiles vs. modern hot rods. Most of all, he misses bugging the shit out of his sister, an art form every true big brother perfects.

Before he can do that, he has to get through this last week of training. To take the edge off, he hangs out with Carter. Carter was his first friend at the Rock, welcomed him with open arms. The fact that they've both dated Kaylie isn't going to stop them from popping tabs at the bar. "It's cool, man. Bros before hoes, right?" Carter says every time. Austin just chuckles and drinks to whatever the hell that means.

As fun as it is to shoot the shit with another dude around his age, the one thing Austin could do without is how Cater asks about Lauren without fail.

"Why do you even care?" Austin asks. He has a beer, thinks about another, knowing he could drive home and be perfectly fine. "I've seen the girl in action. Downright evil. You're lucky you got out when you could."

"I don't know, man," Carter says absentmindedly. He stares off, rolling the bottom of his beer bottle against the rough surface of the bar. It is no wonder how he got drunk and cheated on Kaylie. The guy is a lightweight. "I feel bad. I broke her heart, you know?"

"Wasn't aware she had a heart to break."

"She does," Carter argues. "A big one too. It's just been broken more than it deserves so it's kind of a mess. It isn't even her fault. No doubt she blames herself for it though. No doubt."

Carter waves the bartender over and Austin takes a long swig of his own.

Why is Carter sympathizing with her? Lauren Tanner, whose father just so happens to be president of the Parents Board, basically ran Carter out of the gym just because he couldn't give her those three little words. Even with Max, Lauren dangles her body in front of them and when it was all he wanted, when he didn't fulfill her expectations of more then she flipped her shit.

"That's why I don't get involved with girls like her anymore…"

"Smart man," Carter says, clanking their bottles.

Austin has his shit together. He's on a straight path now. Either the alcohol is messing with him or not drinking enough is messing with him because he's having dreams about her. Lauren Tanner. These dirty, filthy dreams that wake him up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, in panic, in self-loathing. The things he made her do, the sounds he made her make. His head spins, leaving every inch of his body buzzing.

It's not that he has _feelings_ for Lauren Tanner. He barely respects her or her type. Her type, as in girls who ask to be used and objectified, who know it and encourage it and then play the victim when they get just what they asked for. Groaning, Austin shakes his head, trying to shake away these thoughts and images.

Air. He needs air. He needs to get out.

Austin steps into a pair of jeans on the floor of his bedroom, grabs a leather jacket and the keys to Lolita. It's four o'clock in the morning, too late to still be awake and too early to wake up. Austin races down the empty, wet streets beneath a black sky. He listens to the roar of Lolita's engine, refuses any other thoughts, especially involving a certain blonde and candy canes.

It seems like the biggest fucking middle finger to the face when he spots a silver convertible parked next to the curb on Main and it sure isn't Kaylie's. Austin slows down and he sees the head of blonde hair, standing out in front of the giant Christmas tree with lights strung around it in the shopping center. She's just standing there in a trench coat. As he pulls over, he wonders if she's wearing anything underneath it and, fuck, he's gotta stop doing that.

"What the hell are you doing?" Austin asks, walking up behind her. He doesn't really know why he stops when he could have just kept driving, using the speed and adrenaline to get her out of his head. But Austin has never been the type to shy away from a confrontation.

"My mom died here," she says flatly. Lauren doesn't turn to face him or even acknowledge his existence at all. "Right here. She was on the road. A drunk hit her and the car rolled. And now they put a big fucking, bright and happy Christmas tree right here. I saw them putting it up this afternoon. Couldn't sleep and ended up here."

Austin feels the tension in the air. It makes him uneasy.

"It's stupid. I'm stupid. That's what you're thinking, right? If I was you, that's what I'd be thinking because it is," she continues. "Grieving over a stranger. It's stupid."

"She wasn't a stranger, though. I mean, yeah, you didn't know her or anything, but she was your mom. I think that gets an automatic notch above stranger," Austin says softly. It might be the first words he's ever spoken to her that weren't drenched in acid and with purpose of keeping distance. "Fuck. If I ever lost my mom…Jesus, I don't even want to go there."

Lauren finally looks at him. Her eyes take on that weird paradoxical, exhausted yet sleepless quality. Mostly, she just looks so sad. There's something about her in this witching hour that tugs at him. Not resentment. Not lust. Something else. Lauren looks so lost and there's something in him that needs to help her, guide her, _save her_. Maybe that's his type—broken.

"What's it like to have a mom?"

Austin shoves his hands into his pockets and moves his lips from side to side, feeling his face start to freeze. It's fucking cold out. Certainly below thirty.

"My mom is my favorite person in the world," Austin says with a laugh. "Always on my side even when I was wrong. I was the rudest kid too, thought I ran the entire playground."

"Doesn't seem like much has changed," Lauren comments. Her voice is monotone and he can't tell if she meant it as an insult so Austin just pretends he didn't even hear it.

"Once, when I was a kid, I got into a fistfight with a boy from my neighborhood. He accused me of stealing his stupid remote control truck. And, yeah, I did, but like hell I'd admit it. He started acting like tough shit and so I punched him. His parents made a big deal of it and my mom was _livid_, yelling at em' that she raised a good boy and I'd never steal or hurt anyone. I kept up my innocent act in front of my dad because he would've killed me for putting them through that, but I broke down to my mom. She was pissed, snuck me out into the car at like, 2 AM, took me to the kid's house and we left the truck in the yard. She said this was the last time she'd bail me out so I took it to heart and learned to be sneaker."

"She didn't tell your dad?" Lauren asks, a lot more invested in his little story than either of them would expect.

Austin shakes his head. "Nah. To this day, he still doesn't know."

"Your mom sounds great," Lauren says. "So, explain to me, why did you turn out to be such a jackass?"

Austin chuckles. He really should have expected that one. "I know. My mom would smack me around if she saw the way I treat you. I'm sorry, Lauren. I mean it."

"What did I ever do to you?"

"Besides chase all my guy friends out of town?" he shoots back. Lauren's face hardens and she turns her attention back to the tree. Austin groans. "Look, it's none of my business. Whatever. I'm over it."

Lauren turns to him suddenly, her blonde hair whipping over her shoulders, and gets in his face. Caught off guard, Austin almost looks afraid. "Not that my love life is any of your goddamn business, but I didn't _chase_ them away. I wanted real, honest relationships with Carter and with Max and what did I get in return? Doesn't matter. I still end up alone."

Austin scowls. "Well, what did you expect, Lauren? You can't offer sex and expect love. It doesn't work that way."

"Like you have any idea what this feels like," she nearly shouts. "You. Austin Tucker. You're the one having girls throw themselves at you, beg you to love them, never having to work for it or be afraid of being alone. Do you have any idea what that feels like? No, you don't. You couldn't. What do you expect me to do? Pretend I'm a nice girl like Kaylie and Payson? That'll sure attract the boys."

"Well, yeah," Austin says like it's just _that _obvious.

"But what's the point if that's not _me_? I'm never going to be Kaylie or Payson. Why would I fake who I am and lie to myself, saying that's what I want when I don't? I'd rather keep a guy around for a little while, being myself, batshit crazy Lauren, than have him long-term, faking to be who he wants," she says heatedly.

It turns quiet then because Austin doesn't know what to say. He hates that she makes him question everything he's ever thought, especially about her and even himself. Is that what he's doing too? Is he faking it too?

Austin doesn't get the chance to think too extensively on it with the way Lauren's eyes flutter and she reaches her hands out in front of her, about to fall over. Austin reaches out to catch her because that's like his thing. He grabs a hold of her upper arms and her hands touch his neck, moving to grip his shoulders and her touch makes him shiver. She's so fucking cold.

"You okay?" he asks.

"I'm fine."

"How long have you been out here?"

"I—I don't…"

"C'mon. You should sit down, heat up your car."

"No, I don't fucking need you, okay?" Lauren screams till her voice scratches, shoving him in the chest. "I don't need you, Austin. Not to buy me a train ticket in Paris or drive me to practice on your motorcycle when my trashy mom's trashy car breaks down. Not to catch me when I'm falling off the beam or expose my anorexia, trying to save me. And especially not to try and teach me how to be sexy and hook me up with your best friend, both of which you _fail_ by the way. I'm not like _them_. I. Don't. Need. You."

Dead silence. Austin never knew she noticed all the things he did for the other girls. He never knew she cared.

Lauren sucks in a harsh breath, trying to get air to her lungs as quick as possible. Austin still has his razor-sharp reflexes ready to catch her if she falls again, but Lauren seems determined to keep her balance as the tears build in her eyes. After all, she doesn't need him.

"No, you don't. You don't need me," Austin agrees, stepping towards her. "You're too much like me for that."

He takes her hand in his and, yeah, he wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't even feel it with how cold her hands are. Austin looks into her eyes, trying to make her know that it isn't just words and he does mean it, as he tries to warm her hands, rubbing them between his. This almost kind of feels like they're having a moment or something and Lauren must feel it too because she breaks the eye contact and murmurs, "I'm _only_ letting you hold my hands because they're cold."

Bringing their joined hands up near his lips to blow hot air at them, Austin wishes he could say the same.

…

They don't talk about it ever, but that fated conversation beneath the giant Christmas tree changes the way he sees her. There aren't any more jokes about whips and chains and her sexual activity. Austin actually volunteers to drive Carter home after they hangout so the curly-haired gymnast can knock back a few more beers and ramble, divulging into his past with Lauren Tanner as Austin listens attentively. They may still be bros, but, yeah, Carter was kind of a jerk to Lauren and, yeah, it was kind of a dick move for Max to be juggling Payson and Lauren at the same time.

Austin sees her differently all thanks to this so-called Christmas spirit, but it's like a ripple that disrupts the entire pond. He blames the damn Christmas spirit for the way he watches Lauren on beam, fascinated, and doesn't stop his thoughtful staring until Kaylie bounces up and hugs him from behind. That's when the guilt hits and lingers because _Kaylie_ is his _girlfriend_ and Austin suspects when she wished for her boyfriend and her best friend to get along she didn't mean it like this.

Though he hates it, Austin fights down these newfound feelings because it isn't right. It isn't how things are supposed to be. He finds suppressing it and trying to ignore her only makes the dreams that more vivid and friggin' dirty. He gets little sleep because of it and it's led him to drive down Main on some lonely nights, around the same time, the witching hour, but they're yet to have a repeat of that night.

Their next encounter happens when Austin gets ready to go home one night, just as he tosses his backpack into the backseat of his car when he feels little hands shove him from behind.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Going home?" Austin says slowly, turning to face the fuming blonde. She has another candy cane between her fingers. He suspects she either really likes them or eats them in response to holiday stress. "I've got an early day tomorrow. I'm seeing the family for Christmas."

Lauren looks around to make sure no one is watching and then her eyes narrow in on him. "What is your deal? First, you look at me like I'm some whore dying of syphilis, not good enough to beg you for pocket change in the street and now you're looking at me like…" He must be proving her point because her expression softens for a second just to come back with an even deadlier glare. Lauren smacks his arm and Austin finally moves his eyes away from hers. "Like that!"

"So you'd rather go back to how I used to see you? Back when I _didn't_ see you…?"

"Yes," Lauren says promptly, resolutely crossing her arms over her chest. "Because my best friend's _boyfriend_ shouldn't be looking at anyone at all, least of all me."

Kaylie. Right. The mention of their one link widens the gap between them.

Lauren sighs, twirling the unopened candy cane between her fingers. "Do you even know what Kaylie and I had to go through after everything with Carter? A couple months ago, yeah, we'd probably be making out in the back of your car by now, but after everything with Max and Kaylie's recovery and Worlds…I promised her it wouldn't happen again and I don't plan on going back on that promise."

Austin sighs and smoothes his fingers through his hair, leaning back against the side of his car. "I know. And it'd be a dick move to ruin that."

"Exactly."

"But…" Austin looks down at her, more sincere than he'd like to be. "You get me."

Lauren's eyes grow wide in shock that quickly transitions into confusion. "Oh my God. Of all lines? You did not just try that."

"Just hear me out," Austin says, reaching out a hand to her. One she sharply pulls away from. "That night we talked by that Christmas tree, when I said we're the same, I wasn't bullshitting."

"Okay, it was late and I was upset. You were just saying anything to keep me from jumping off a bridge," Lauren rationalizes. With every word she tries to feed him and herself, Austin shakes his head in a firm _no_.

"Nah, there's more to it," Austin insists. "What's the point in faking it, right? Don't you think I get sick of it too? Telling myself I'm this guy who's stronger and better than Max and Carter? What if I am Mr. Kobalt? And I gave _me_ up for Kaylie, to be who Kaylie wants me to be. What if I'd rather be the ass I am, the punk who steals toy cars and punches kids out and gets his mom to cover for him than fake it to be good enough for Kaylie?"

"That isn't Kaylie's fault though."

"I'm not saying it is."

The way Lauren looks at him when she quickly meets his gaze is almost fearful. "Austin, tell me you aren't thinking of breaking up with Kaylie this close to Christmas."

"I'm not going to, but I can't say I haven't been thinking about it," Austin confesses. "I don't know. I think getting away, spending some time with the family, it'll be good. Sort through some of my shit while I'm away from this place."

"Alright then." Lauren nods her head, trying to sound cold and uncaring. Pursing his lips, Austin's eyes find hers again and they stay that way for a good few seconds before Lauren looks away and sneers, "Seriously, quit looking at me like that."

"Fine. Okay. Since you asked so nicely," he says, putting up his hands. She starts to walk away when a light bulb goes off in his head and Austin leans into his car and pulls open the glove compartment, grabbing the little wrapped gift inside. "Hey Lauren, hold on." He walks over to her and holds out the box. "Merry Christmas."

She blinks confusedly. "Um, Kaylie already gave me a gift from you and her."

"Well, this is just from me," he says.

As she accepts the little present in her gloved hand, Lauren admits, "I didn't get you anything."

"Don't sweat it. I've learned assuming things just get you into trouble so I try not to anymore," Austin says and he can't help, but give her a wink. Something about the astonishment on her face is a good enough gift to him. "I guess I'll see you after the break."

"Austin, wait…"

Right when he turns around, Lauren throws her arms around him in a surprise hug. She doesn't wrap her legs around him or try to shove her tongue down his throat. Lauren just hugs him. In return, Austin presses his hand to her back and nuzzles the side of his head against hers. Before they part ways for the night, Lauren tucks her candy cane into the breast pocket of his shirt and it's far from what he dreamed or what he expected of "a girl like Lauren Tanner", but he'd take this moment over nothing.

When Lauren leans up to whisper in his ear it is far from dirty. She says, "When you see her, give your mom a hug."

With the heartbreaking implication being: _if I had one I'd sure as hell be hugging her._

Austin nods his head and whispers back, "I will."

* * *

><p><span>AN: I feel like this was one of my more ambitious pieces. I played with the idea of the male gaze and how Austin purely saw her as objectifiable and commoditized, but then one human moment prompted by Christmas changed that. Thanks to **Forever ****Written in the Stars**, who challenged me (is it anything like you thought it'd be? I hope it wasn't disappointing) with this seriously Snowballs-Chance-in-Hell-Ship and **LCTD** who let me bounce ideas off of her. What'd you think?

Contributions: Still searching! If you're getting tired of waiting and praying and hoping and wishing for me to write a KayAus (or any other pairing I suck at), well then, write your own! Channel the Christmas spirit and PM me if you'd like to add it to the collection I'm building!

Next: GASP. I wrote a Payson/Sasha inspired by **Romance Novel**, which I'll post next. Also, working on an AusEm and still, **LCTD**'s piece. Lots of good things to come as we get closer to the 25th!

R_eview!_

Xoxo


	6. Trailer Talk PaysonSasha

Disclaimer: Sometimes I forget, but, yep, I don't own anything.

A/N: HELLO, FANDOM! So, if you haven't heard, I'm crazy and I've challenged myself to do as many Christmas oneshots as I can for this month. I'll be doing a variety of ships, sometimes not even ships, just character-specific, some serious and sweet, others pure crack, canon and even my personal AU. Consider this my Christmas gift to y'all.

Special thanks: **Romance Novel **gave me the story idea. Thanks, love. :)

Summary: "You do know that drinking too much can cause brain damage, right?" With a cheeky little smile, he replies, "I'll remind you that gymnastics can very well do the same." Payson/Sasha

* * *

><p><strong>-BB-<strong>

**Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime **

6

Payson really hopes this goes according to plan especially since the last time had been a major crash and burn.

She has one hand turning over her set of keys in her parka pocket while the other holds the handles of a gift bag that her mom packed especially for Sasha. Kim goes into her baking mode around Christmas and she doesn't hesitate to play-strangle her daughter when Payson comments on how cliché suburban mom baking Christmas cookies is. Kim just goes on, greasing her cookie sheets and bringing out the Christmas tree-shaped cookie cutters. Kim sings as she bakes and despite her teasing, Payson can't help, but smile and hum along.

Right as Payson's about to leave for Austin's and Max's little early Christmas gathering, promising her dad that she'll be home before curfew, Kim asks her if she could drop off some cookies to Sasha. Kim tells her she already notified Sasha that they'd be dropping by and makes the tin filled with cookies dance encouragingly. Payson relents, takes the bag after Kim neatly packs it and her mom slings an arm around her, kissing her forehead. Payson goes over to say goodbye to her father before she heads out the door.

With Becca at a friend's house, Payson figures it'd be a nice little early Christmas present to give her parents a little alone time, no bickering daughters and just each other for a nice evening in. It's the least she could do after what her parents have done for her and her sister over the coarse of this last year. It doesn't go by unnoticed that her parents have that kind of once-in-a-lifetime kind of love and secretly, Payson would like the same one day.

Once Payson pulls up to the gym, she immediately notes how lonely Sasha's little metal trailer looks off to the side of the empty Rock parking lot. Walking towards what Sasha calls home, Payson feels a nervous tremor in her stomach, remembering the last time she tried to bring him food just for Summer to be there and for it to turn into one of the most awkward moments of her entire life.

But it isn't like Payson is trying to make the same mistake twice. She isn't the type to go through something and not learn from it a la Lauren Tanner. If anything, Payson is just doing her mom a favor. After all, Kim is the one who set this up in the first place. Of all the things certain and uncertain in life, Payson's little crush on Sasha falls into the latter category, labeled as something that came and gone. That's what Payson keeps telling herself as she knocks on the door of Sasha's mobile home.

The door swings open and Sasha appears, one hand on the doorframe and the other clutching a bottle of dark liquor with a bright red bow stuck to it. The label says it's brandy and Payson sees that the seal is yet to be broken. Though he's yet to even have a taste, Sasha's eyes widen like a little kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar. Seeing him look guilty without having done anything, Payson can't help, but smile.

"Payson," he says slowly. "Well, isn't this a surprise."

"Hey Sasha."

"When your mom texted me, saying to expect a visit, I wasn't exactly expecting you," Sasha explains. He turns his head from side to side, looking around her and for her parents. Not another Keeler in sight. "Are your mom and dad here?"

"Nope, just me," she replies. "Since when do you and my mom text message each other?" At her question, Sasha gives Payson a smile that seems rather cheeky and the blonde gymnast shakes her head, making the braid down her back swish from side to side. "Never mind. I don't want to know."

"It's freezing out," Sasha says, looking out at the dark sky behind her. It isn't snowing, but it's certainly cold enough to. "You should come inside."

"Oh, I don't know, I was just," Payson says, feeling nervous and not knowing why. It's just Sasha for Christ's sake! He's her coach and clearly at the top of Payson's list of people she respects and would follow straight into hell. "I just don't want to intrude or anything."

_If Summer is in there with you_.

Talk about awkward if it was true.

Instead of everyone's favorite Christian gym manager popping out behind Sasha with her never-ending smile and radiant blonde hair, Sasha just laughs with such amusement like the very idea of him being busy or having company is utterly ridiculous.

Rubbing his fingers through his short, light hair, Sasha replies, "Nothing to intrude on."

Payson finds herself nodding. "Okay then."

Sasha moves aside and Payson steps into his little home away from home for what she realizes is the first time ever. It isn't very elaborately decorated, but very simple and surprisingly in good taste for a home on wheels. Something about that is so very Sasha. He reaches to close the door when he realizes he's still holding on to the bottle of brandy.

"I know what you must be thinking. Not very professional of me…"

"It's okay. My mom probably should have specified that it'd be me coming over. Plus, you're off the clock, coach," Payson tells him, taking a seat at the little table nearby. Today's newspaper is laid out next to a carton of eggnog with a ribbon that matches the one on the bottle of brandy. "You do know that drinking too much can cause brain damage, right?"

With a cheeky little smile, he replies, "I'll remind you that gymnastics can very well do the same." Sasha sits at the table, taking the seat across from her. He sets down the bottle of brandy right next to the eggnog. "This, both of these actually, are a friendly Christmas gift from Marty. I don't know why he even bothers. I barely touched the scotch he gave me as an apology for selling me out to your mother, drunk at the Denver pre-Exhibition party."

"Well, I'm glad he did," Payson says, and isn't sorry about it. "Anyways, I brought you something. It isn't exactly alcohol, but just a little something from the Keelers."

Payson sets the bag down and motions for him to open it. Sasha gives her a smile and pulls the bag towards him, fishing through the red and green basket shred (Payson found it unnecessary, but it's just like Kim to add it in for the sake of festively dramatics) and finds the metal tin. The print on the outside of the tin is something that belongs on an ugly discount Christmas sweater, but that isn't as important as what it holds.

Sasha pries off the top and looks inside to find an array of extensively decorated cookies. There are gingerbread men with red bowties made of frosting, sugar cookie snowmen complete with scarves, Christmas trees with sprinkle decorations, colored stars and iced stockings and candy canes. Sasha's eyes widen in genuine surprise. Payson smiles. She always loves seeing other people's reactions to her mom's cookies.

"They look like they need to be hung on a tree, not eaten," he comments.

"My mom _really_ gets into it," Payson explains. While Sasha tries to decide which to eat first, Payson takes a look around the tiny space. Aside from the cookies and the liquid presents from Marty, there isn't a single indication that it's Christmastime. No decorations. Nothing. "Do you not celebrate Christmas?"

"No. Not really," he answers absentmindedly. "My family actually had more important things going on than something as silly as celebrating Christmas." Payson frowns at that. With the childhood she had and how much effort her parents put in to making it special, she can't imagine a world without it. Sasha doesn't seem too bothered by it as he picks out a star-shaped cookie dusted in gold sugar sprinkles and takes a bite.

"How is it?"

"Very good. My compliments to the chef," Sasha says. He licks the crumbs from his lips. "So I'm assuming your family goes all out when it comes to Christmas?"

"Absolutely," Payson answers without a doubt. "You've seen the setups they have at the mall, right? We were there right after Thanksgiving and my parents scoffed when they saw it and got to work, decorating our house to outdo the mall. _The mall_." Sasha chuckles. "I'm serious. There's tinsel strung up all across our living room. Multi-colored tinsel."

"I've always wondered what the real purpose of tinsel is," Sasha muses.

"Apparently, to drive my dog crazy," Payson explains. "Phoebe barks at it and jumps to try to get it and when she does, she ends up taking down the entire thing and getting tangled it in. Then, instead of untangling her, my mom being my mom, goes to get her phone to take pictures of her."

Sasha chuckles and the way he looks at her makes Payson grin without even really thinking. However, as Sasha takes another bite of his cookie, Payson runs out of words. There's an unease she feels in this moment, similar to the giddiness she'd feel around Max, but also very different, a good and better type of difference. It's the type of unease that isn't exactly comfortable, but almost bashful, manifesting in the heat across her skin and the blush in her cheeks.

"What is it?" she asks.

"I don't know what you mean."

"The way you're looking at me…"

Sasha just shrugs his shoulders and pops the rest of the cookie into his mouth before recovering the tin case. "Hearing you talk about your family and your dog, sharing with me, something about you as a person and not just purely your gymnastics, it's nice."

Nodding, Payson only wishes he'd open up to her in the same way, but her pride and certain lines drawn between them keeps her from asking.

"Anyways, would you like anything to drink?" Sasha asks. His eyes immediately go to the bottle of brandy and he pushes it away from both Payson and himself. "But not that. Eggnog maybe?"

Payson's nose wrinkles in an adorable Payson-like way. "I never drink the stuff. I think eggnog is just as useless as tinsel. My dad loves it though."

Suddenly, Sasha laughs as he runs his hand down the side of his prickly cheek, something like nostalgia playing across his face. "I could certainly tell you a story about when I was a boy and around the holiday season I accidentally brought home eggnog from the market, mistaking it for milk. My father wasn't paying attention to the label either and poured nearly half the bottle into his morning coffee."

"He went ballistic, didn't he?"

"Through the roof. Chased me out of the house. I don't think I've ran so fast in my life."

They both share a laugh and a smile and a stare. Payson has that feel again, the one she's always so quick to deny and blame on her hormones and nightingale syndrome. She managed to convince herself she made it up in her head, but in this moment, just the two of them enjoying each other's company away from gymnastics, it makes her believe that she wasn't crazy to think there really is something between them.

Suddenly, Payson's pocket starts vibrating and she immediately digs for her cell phone.

A text message from Kaylie: _where are you? Max is asking_.

"Am I keeping you from something?"

"No," Payson answers without even having to think about it. She texts back a quick _got held up, I don't know if I'm going to make it to the party_ before shoving her phone away and asking Sasha what it was like growing up with Dmitri Belov. While Payson takes her turn to listen attentively, her phone buzzes for second and a third, probably Kaylie both times, but Payson just ignores it.

Later, before she leaves to make curfew, Payson is sure to invite Sasha to have Christmas dinner with her family. He shies away from the idea, saying he doesn't want to impose, but Payson just waves off the deflection, saying her mom will be ecstatic to have him over and it'll give Mark the opportunity to show off the Christmas lights and Frosty the Snowman that he's so proud of out in the front yard. Though it takes some convincing, Sasha finally agrees and Payson hasn't felt more accomplished since Worlds.

On Christmas Day, Olympic legend Sasha Belov sits between Becca and Payson on the couch, watching _Miracle on 34__th__ Street_ while her parents spend the afternoon in the kitchen, preparing the food. It should probably be weird and people will probably think it _is_ weird, but when Sasha looks over and gives her one of his subtle smiles, Payson knows this is exactly how things should be and so she smiles back.

* * *

><p><span>AN: If I didn't totally butcher your ship and you can convince me to do another Payson/Sasha, I'm ready to go big. The way I see it, if you're going to cheat on your diet, you might as well do it spectacularly. This little fic was maybe some chips and guacamole. I promise my next Payson/Sasha (if I ever make another attempt) will be the whole Chipotle everything burrito. Tell me what you think.

Contributions: Open. PM me. Get yo fingers in this Santa-shaped cookie jar!

Next: I've got a couple future ones lined up, specifically an AusEm involving Emily's kid and a Kaylie/Damon involving Christmas music. Maybe even a KayAus (shoot me in the face) but I need to get drunk to even _attempt_ that and I don't drink during the week so…we'll see. Also, I'm still open to more suggestions and prompts! What do you want to see next?

R_eview!_

Xoxo


	7. Holiday Themed Seduction KaylieDamon

Disclaimer: Sometimes I forget, but, yep, I don't own anything.

A/N: HELLO, FANDOM! So, if you haven't heard, I'm crazy and I've challenged myself to do as many Christmas oneshots as I can for this month. I'll be doing a variety of ships, sometimes not even ships, just character-specific, some serious and sweet, others pure crack, canon and even my personal AU. Consider this my Christmas gift to y'all.

Summary: "Yes, we're keeping _Baby, It's Cold Outside_. It isn't a song about date rape, Kaylie. It's holiday themed seduction." Kaylie/Damon

* * *

><p><strong>-BB-<strong>

**Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime**

7

It's a complete shock when Damon Young comes knocking on the Cruz front door the one time they're both home for Fourth of July weekend.

Once retiring from gymnastics, Kaylie went to university, mostly just for the experience, but then found herself serious about getting a degree. All the little decisions she made post-Olympics have led her to where she is now, the youngest Editor-in-chief in the history of one of the largest, popular fashion magazines based in New York City. She's long left the gymnastics world, as near and dear as it is to her heart, and she's even more removed from the music world.

"Damon, it's so good to see you!" Ronnie coos as she hugs him in the foyer. Despite having two adult children, Ronnie is still smokin' hot. She claims to not have work done, but that the neighbors have their suspicions. "What brings you here to visit?"

He looks almost shy, this grown, multi-million dollar recording artist and producer. No matter how many years it's been, he's still that starving artist camped out in their recording studio in the basement. "I actually have a proposition for Kaylie."

"Proposition?" Alex asks with a growl, still as overprotective as ever.

"A business proposition," Damon clarifies, tearing his eyes away from Kaylie and focusing on her father, who's still built like a brick building. "Sir."

"Mom, dad, why don't you go on ahead to the picnic?" Kaylie suggests. The Cruz family gets honored every year so they're obligated to go. "I'll see what's up with this business proposition and I'll meet you there."

"Sounds great, sweetie," Ronnie says, nearly dragging her husband (again) out the door.

On the way, Alex loudly grumbles about leaving them alone in the house together, but Ronnie just laughs and reminds him that his daughter is a grown woman. Though they're terribly embarrassing, embarrassing to the point where Kaylie feels a blush coming on, it makes her happy to see the way her parents are together. They tackled something as crushing as infidelity and still made it out. Despite her own poor decisions when it comes to her love life, seeing her parents the way they are gives her hope.

"So, um, can I get you anything?" Kaylie asks, wringing her fingers. She thinks it's best to be polite even if they haven't talked in years. "A drink or something?"

"I'm fine," Damon says, waving off the offer. "Just to talk."

"Okay."

He slowly walks around the living room of the Cruz house, inspecting the family photos on the wall. "I know you have plans so I'll try not to waste any of your time. I'm recording a Christmas album and I want you to be on it."

Kaylie's face crinkles in disbelief. "You? Damon Young is doing a Christmas album? Like, hokey holiday Christmas music that cover-bands usually do at company Christmas parties?"

"First of all, ouch," Damon says. "Second, I think cover-bands are extinct. It's all about DJs these days, which I don't get _at all_. Third, my last album got a little dark, along with my image, and now my label wants to lighten it up and what better way to do it than hokey holiday Christmas music. I, for one, like to think of it as bringing something new out of classics."

Crossing her arms, Kaylie questions, "And you want me to sing with you?"

"Yes, I do," he says with confidence. "Please say yes."

Damon looks at her so directly, his confidence wavering a little when she won't return his gaze. Instead, Kaylie looks down at the grooves in the wood of the floorboards. "This is so random," she says. "Not to mention crazy. I am no singer."

"I've got recordings on my laptop that say otherwise. I can go get it if you want to hear," Damon says, motioning to the door. Kaylie shakes her head no. She doesn't need to hear the recording. She still knows it by heart. "I came across it the other day…"

Kaylie smiles at the memory. "How cheesy was it?"

"Really cheesy." Damon smiles. "But it meant everything to us at the time and that's what matters. Not to mention how well we worked together. It literally killed me when you turned me down when I asked you to go on tour with me."

"It was the same summer as the Olympics."

"And you went, saw and conquered," Damon says with pride to his voice. "One dream down. What do you dream about now, Kaylie?"

Having strived and accomplished her dream at such a young age and still only being in her mid-twenties, Kaylie hasn't really thought about it in a long time. The work she does with the magazine and the stability and the monotony of working day-to-day, week-to-week, she hasn't really had time to dream.

"Are you saying your dream is to sing with me?" she asks. "Again?"

Damon slowly nods his head. "Not to mention, we never really got to finish what we started."

Kaylie finally meets his eyes, the perfect combination of intensity and gentleness. She remembers how he'd be sitting at the panel of buttons and switches, writing in his notebook, and she'd notice his eyes, how he'd be so focused and care so much about the stringing of words and arrangement of chords. Kaylie remembers thinking about how she's never met a guy like Damon Young and even now, she still hasn't.

"Think about it, okay?" Damon says. "Call me."

He walks towards her, presses his business card into her palm and kisses her cheek before he goes.

…

Kaylie ends up calling Damon three days later and they meet up to work out the details and figure out the best way to coordinate their schedules. It seems impossible with Kaylie now living in New York and Damon in LA, but he has a vision for this album and he's willing to do almost anything to make it work, including coast-to-coast plane trips. Despite how much Damon tells her she's a natural, Kaylie still insists she work with a singing coach prior to recording.

Their first session together, they breathe life back in to the Cruz basement recording studio (that's been virtually untouched since the last time) and Ronnie almost literally sheds a tear that it's getting some use again. She keeps popping in like they really are two teenagers that can't be trusted alone and Kaylie is embarrassed, but Damon just assures her that Ronnie just misses the music.

"Damon, I don't know if I can get into this," Kaylie confesses during their lunch break. Pizza. Pizza Shack pizza, to be exact. "It's July and you want me to sing about dashing through the snow?"

"In a one-horse open slay," he sings with a grin. Kaylie doesn't look too impressed (even if she kind of is) and plants both her hands on her hips. Tossing a pizza crush back into the box, Damon dusts his hands off and says, "I have an idea."

"Care to share?"

Damon sits up and goes to the wall where the thermostat is located. He turns the temperature down as low as it can.

Kaylie's eyebrows shoot up. "Your brilliant idea is freezing our asses off?"

"More and more like Christmas already," Damon says. "Especially here in Colorado. LA is nothing compared to winters here."

"You should see New York," Kaylie says. "If the weather isn't bad enough, there's all the foot traffic, the actual traffic and how crazy people can be around the holidays. I always make it a point to come home for Christmas. I don't know. There's nothing like a Christmas in Colorado."

"Yeah, we might be coming home too," he says, reaching for another slice of pizza. Kaylie raises her brows a second time, questioning the _we_. "Me and my son. Emily has him for the summer. Then he's with me once school starts. Emily has his for Thanksgiving so I have him for Christmas and my mom's upset enough that I'm here and didn't bring her grandson to visit."

Damon reaches for his cell phone and hands it over to Kaylie. She looks at the picture of Damon and his son who can't be more than seven or eight. He's a cute kid, skinny and pale with spiky dark hair. He has a lot of features reminiscent of his mother, but his eyes, that moody look, is clearly something he got from Damon.

"Cute," Kaylie says, handing his phone back.

"It was the right decision, following Emily to Vegas. I cannot imagine my life without my son," Damon says, sounding very paternal, more so than you'd expect from a rock star. "Anyways, we should probably get back to work."

"Oh! I hate to upstage you, but I have an even better idea than you blasting the AC," Kaylie says cheerily. She almost jumps out of her chair, making a beeline for the door. "I'll be right back."

"Sure, feel free to leave the room when I so much as mention work," Damon says sarcastically, but Kaylie's already halfway out the door. "Oh, and if you can find me a pair of earmuffs I'd really appreciate it!"

When Kaylie comes back, she has a giant cardboard box in her arms. She walks it over to him and Damon immediately reaches in, pulling out strings of colorful Christmas lights among other Christmas decorations. She explains that they can decorate the room to make it feel more like Christmas and any other producer would scowl and tell her she's wasting time and wasting money, but Damon just smiles and asks her where she wants the lights.

When it's nearly three in the morning and they finally call it a night, Kaylie suggest he just sleep in the guest room, not wanting him to fall asleep behind the wheel, driving back to his mom's house. Damon agrees, eyes sleepily (sexily) half-lidded and his lips tilted in the slightest of smiles. Right before she walks into her room just down the hall from him, Damon says, "Okay, I admit, maybe your idea was better than mine."

With her hand on the doorknob to her childhood bedroom, Kaylie spins around and gives him a tired smile. Before she can say anything stupid and embarrass herself, Kaylie tells him goodnight and closes her bedroom door behind her.

…

When she's walking to his doorstep, Kaylie realizes, it probably wasn't her smartest idea to stay at Damon's house when she takes a trip to LA. It isn't like she didn't have other options. Lauren lives seaside with her boyfriend, Razor (yeah, the Pizza Shack guy), and they have a guest room even though the walls are really thin so the one time Kaylie stayed over she could hear all the frightening moans and dirty talk and cracks of a whip (what the hell?) and hasn't stayed with them since. There are also hotels, but Damon said they'd be working in his home studio and he offered so she accepted without really thinking about the awkwardness.

Kaylie is reminded of this awkwardness when she gets there and the taxi driver takes her matching Louis Vuitton luggage set up to the front door and a little boy in Beatles t-shirt answers it. Damon and Emily's son. He just stares at her, quizzical.

"Hi," Kaylie says sweetly.

"Hi," the boy echoes. "Are you my new mommy?"

Kaylie inwardly cringes. What is she supposed to say to that?

"Jimi, dude, not cool," comes Damon's voice. The young boy breaks into giggles and moves out of the way so Damon can step into the doorway, smiling nervously at her. "I swear, I don't know about this kid sometimes. Just the other week, the gardener came over, he's this older Mexican man, and what did you say to him, Jay?"

The little boy smiles. "Are you my new daddy?"

"Bingo." Damon snaps his fingers and Kaylie laughs, relaxing a little more. "Hey, Kaylie."

"Hey, Dae," she replies. They trade smiles.

"I guess I know the answer," Jimi says.

"Hey, watch it," Damon scolds. "Well, welcome. Kaylie, this is my son, Jimi. Jimi, this is Kaylie Cruz. She's going to be singing with me and staying with us for a while."

"Like that time Adrianna Tate-Duncan came over to use the studio?" Jimi inquires. "And Aunt Jude and Uncle Tommy? Last time they stayed here a whole week! "

"Someone sounds busy," Kaylie teases. "Wait, let me guess. You named him after Jimi Hendrix?"

"It's spelt like Hendrix, but I had Page in mind, actually."

"And how did you get Emily to agree to that?"

"Mom says she was heavily drugged at the time," Jimi explains matter-of-factly. "And she thought it was a Boardwalk Empire reference."

"Which is even worse if it really was," Damon adds. "Speaking of your mom, tomorrow morning she's coming to pick you up for the weekend. That means I get a break and you can go terrorize her for an entire two days," Damon says playfully, ruffling his hair. "Are your things all packed?"

"Yes." Damon gives him a knowing look. "Okay, not completely."

"Well, you go do that," Damon says, ushering him to the stairs. "Meanwhile, I'm going to show Kaylie to the guest room and then we're going to be working downstairs and you can hang out, but only if you're really quiet."

"Okay," Jimi says. "Don't sing Jingle Bells without me." He looks at Kaylie specifically. "It's my favorite."

"We won't," she assures him. Jimi takes off up the stairs and Kaylie smiles, noticing the way Damon stares after his son with such pride and love. "He seems like a really sweet kid. He must get that from his mom."

Turning to face her, Damon grins. "Yeah, he can be when he wants. Smart as hell too, which is something he _definitely_ got from Emily."

Kaylie's face softens. "So you two never managed to make it work?"

"Depends what you mean," Damon answers. "I love her and we had a lot of great moments together when we were younger, but as a couple, no. As parents, though, I think we did a pretty good job so far. He's in the second grade and he hasn't joined a gang or killed anyone yet. We must be doing something right."

"Seems so."

They spend most of the day in the studio. When Kaylie's singing her parts, headphones on, lips against a microphone, she sees Damon through the glass with Jimi sitting on his lap, smiling at her and giving her a thumbs up. Getting that kind of reaction from Jimi at an age where honesty is all he knows, Kaylie figures she must be doing something right. They have dinner at a nice seafood restaurant where Jimi wears a plastic bib with a cartoon crab on it and afterwards they walk down the boardwalk. Being able to see the sun set over the water (ignoring all the smog and pollution) it really is pretty.

Jimi falls asleep on the ride home and Damon carries him in and puts him to bed. Meanwhile, Kaylie goes down to the studio to listen to some of the rough cuts of what they've been working on. So far, it's just acoustics and their voices and already it sounds great. It's something Kaylie can be proud of, just as proud as the gold medals back at her home in Boulder.

"I'm eating ice cream," Damon announces as he enters the room.

"Um, you better have brought me some," Kaylie says. Sure enough, when she spins around, Damon has a bowl in each hand and a spoon hanging from his lips. He hands one over to her, the one with the spoon stuck in it, and Kaylie gives him a soft, "Thank you."

"He's out like a light, which means he'll be awake, watching cartoons in the morning before either of us," Damon says, pulling up a chair beside her and dipping his spoon into the bowl then to his mouth.

"So this is your life, huh?" Kaylie asks. "Hanging out with your adorable son, recording your own music, pretty much with total creative control. Not bad."

"That it is and I love every second of it," Damon says, licking the chocolate from his lips. "God, remember when we first found out that Emily was pregnant with him? It feels like a lifetime ago."

Kaylie nods, swirling her spoon around her bowl of ice cream. "I was sixteen and just lost Maeve…"

At the sudden reminder, his spoon still stuck in his mouth, Damon reaches over and squeezes her hand, looking into her eyes. Kaylie looks away first. She's always the first. His hand slips away and Damon chuckles. "We both had so much going on, but writing with you and recording, forgetting everything except the music, I don't know if I could have made it through without that…you."

"Just so you know, what you were feeling for me, it wasn't so one-sided," Kaylie confesses. She makes a fist and pounds it gently on the counter. She feels his stare, so intense, hypnotic, so much so she can't bring herself to meet it. "I might have felt it too, but like you said, we both had so much going on and Emily was my friend and my teammate." She has to pause a moment and digest how she used the past tense. "And even now, ever since we started recording together, I catch myself wondering what could have happened…"

Kaylie knows she's said too much and this is the opportune time to bail, but when she tries to move, Damon lays his hand on her arm. He doesn't grab her to try to keep her from running, he just touches her arm and his hand stays there. She meets his eyes for a long moment before he kisses her. They might have only kissed once before, but the one thing Kaylie remembers is how passionate he was and the kiss was and that isn't something that's changed.

"What could have happened?" he whispers. She blinks and inwardly curses when she can't do more than stare dumbly at his lips. "You mean, what _could_ happen?"

"Damon, we work together."

"I was always bad at being professional."

"We live on opposite coasts."

"But we're here right now," he argues, slipping his arm around her.

"And your son is asleep upstairs."

"He likes you, you know. When I was putting him to bed, he told me that for show and tell at school he wants to bring you and I don't entirely understand what he means by that, but I think it's a good thing," Damon says and it makes Kaylie laugh. "Kaylie, we never really got our chance. All I know is I'm going to hate myself for a long time if I let you go again."

"Okay," she says softly. "But we take it slow."

"It's a Christmas miracle."

Kaylie laughs and slides her forearm up his shoulder, leaning in to kiss him. All they do is kiss even though the way he looks at her says he'd really rather not take it slow and, honestly, if he tried, she'd probably let him. It's excruciating, going to sleep in the guest bedroom alone, but in the morning, Damon and Jimi wake her with breakfast in bed, Christmas tree-shape pancakes, dusted with powdered sugar and Jimi eats most of it, but holding Damon's hand beneath the tray, Kaylie feels like she can get use to it.

…

The studio gets on his ass about completing the album and so Damon visits her in New York. Though, is it really a surprise that they spend more time in bed than in the studio?

Ask anyone, Kaylie Cruz is nice to look at and so men often do so like it's their god-given right. She's used to people staring, but there's something different about the way Damon looks at her, like she isn't just this pretty person spectacle, but like he knows her and he treats it like a secret just between the two of them. Kaylie's sprawled across her bed, wearing a nightgown late in the afternoon, the sheets drawn up around her while Damon lies on his side, shirtless, with a pen and notepad.

Kaylie lazily groans. "Why do I feel like what your scribbling has nothing to do with Christmas?"

"Because it doesn't," he replies. "Nothing to do with Christmas, everything to do with you."

"All you sweet-talking musicians," Kaylie says, shaking her head, trying to pretend it doesn't make her want to squeal when he says things like that. "We should probably be in the studio…"

"Probably," Damon says, but makes no indication that he's getting out of bed anytime soon. Making his voice deeper in an impersonation, Damon gruffly says, "What is going on, Young, oh, besides wasting our money. Studio time at our big, important office doesn't come cheap, you know. Etcetera, etcetera…"

"And you just don't care?"

He stops writing for a moment and smiles over at her. "If I remember right, you have a thing for bad boys."

Kaylie rolls her eyes and Damon laughs to himself. Before he can write down another word, Kaylie grabs his notepad out from under him and holds it high up above her head. Smiling, Damon sits up and tries to grab it from her, making Kaylie giggle as he wraps an arm around her and tries to take back his notes with his free hand. When he finally gets it back, Kaylie presses her lips to his and just as she expected, he forgets all about the wire-bound journal and tossing it aside so he can wrap his arms around her.

"But, seriously," Kaylie says between kisses. "We should…think about…Christmas, Damon."

With his gorgeous, angel voice, Damon sings, "I really can't stay…"

_Baby, it's cold outside._

He give her a look, a, _hey, you missed your cue_, but Kaylie just shakes her head.

"We are _not_ putting that song on our album."

His smile widens and he gently kisses her shoulder. She just said _our album_.

"Kaylie, that song is a classic."

"Damon, it's date rape."

He freezes and his face contorts in sheer skepticism. "Nooo."

"Say, what's in this drink?" Kaylie sings, _duh_ spelt out across her face. He smiles the way he always does when she smiles and it gives her that much of boost of confidence when it comes to her voice.

"Kaylie Cruz," Damon groans, shifting so they're even closer, "You just ruined Christmas."

"It's October."

"Already?" Damon looks genuinely surprised and Kaylie wishes he didn't look so cute. It makes it hard to be annoyed (God forbid upset) with him. "Crap. The label wants to release the album right after Thanksgiving."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you!"

Damon lunges like he's going to get out of bed, but then he draws back and lovingly kisses his girlfriend and duet partner. "Okay, get dressed. And, yes, we're keeping _Baby, It's Cold Outside_. It isn't a song about date rape, Kaylie. It's holiday themed seduction. And it sells." He quickly kisses her cheek before crawling out of bed and grabbing his slacks from off her bedroom floor.

"Damon!" Kaylie shouts, but he just gives her this innocent smile before grabbing his phone and calling ahead to the recording studio. Kaylie huffs and Damon swings back into the room with his phone pressed into his shoulder.

"Yes, I'll make coffee," he tells her.

"Thank you!" she shouts when he's already halfway to the kitchen.

"You're welcome!"

Kaylie flops back against her bed with the biggest smile on her face.

And, yes, they keep _Baby, It's Cold Outside_ on the album.

…

They finish the album, have all the songs ready and even do the photo shoot for the album cover with zero time to spare and that close of a call just makes Damon that much prouder and all the people at the label scoff and shake their heads, but can't complain. Damon Young, the Music Miracle Worker. Kaylie warns him not to get cocky, but it looks like it's a little late for that. Whatever though, she wouldn't have him any other way.

In December, the week before Christmas, they're slated to perform on SNL so Jimi and Damon fly to NYC and stay with her. On the show, Kaylie wears a beautiful red dress that's festive without being tacky and Damon is in a suit, complete with a red skinny tie that matches her. Leo is in town so he volunteers to watch Jimi, letting the second grader stay up past bedtime ("Kaylie, he's seven, the innuendos will fly right over his head") and drink all the peppermint hot chocolate his little body can hold.

After taking Jimi ice-skating for the first time at Rockefeller Center and again at Wollman Rink in Central Park, their stay in New York comes to an end and they all fly back to Boulder to spend Christmas with their families. Jimi complains about having to wear a suit to the Christmas party Damon's stepdad throws for all his corporate coworkers every year, but he does look genuinely excited at the idea of being spoiled by Nana Chloe.

While Damon is getting them checked in at the airport, Jimi suddenly takes Kaylie by the hand to get her attention. "My mom told me it's okay to like you. She said it's okay that you're dating my dad because she could tell he's been in love with you since before I was born. She just wanted me to let you know."

"Em—Emily? She did?"

"She said she's happy for you. And it took you long enough," Jimi says, and it makes Kaylie laugh. "Oh, and she said to tell you Merry Christmas."

Kaylie stretches her lips in a smile, making a mental note to give Emily a call. For now, she warmly squeezes his little hand and when Damon joins them, he takes Jimi's other hand as they walk towards the security checkpoint. Never in a million years did she expect to end up here, but Kaylie isn't about to complain either.

* * *

><p><span>AN: I was totally inspired by the fact that JOSIE AND JOHNNY SO SHIP DAMON/KAYLIE. Their tweets are proof enough. I think if I ever did a full-length Kaylie/Damon it'd be a sort of _Definitely, Maybe_ situation. LOL As if I should be thinking of starting any new fics…

Contributions: Open. PM me.

Next: I will do the Austin/Faith friendship fic, and I've still got a AusEm, **LCTD** has got Kaylicky covered (big surprise there), I'm still trying to think of something for Lauren/AJ and I'm considering doing a Payson/Max/Phoebe purely for diversity's sake. Any more requests? Prompts would be lovely too.

R_eview!_

Xoxo


	8. Christmas Shopping Hell LaurenRazor

Disclaimer: Sometimes I forget, but, yep, I don't own anything.

A/N: HELLO, FANDOM! So, if you haven't heard, I'm crazy and I've challenged myself to do as many Christmas oneshots as I can for this month. I'll be doing a variety of ships, sometimes not even ships, just character-specific, some serious and sweet, others pure crack, canon and even my personal AU. Consider this my Christmas gift to y'all.

Summary: "You probably don't need Santa to remind you that your name tops the Naughty List every year." Lauren/Razor

* * *

><p><strong>-BB-<strong>

**Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime **

8

When Lauren asks Razor to go Christmas shopping with her, she actually means he has no other choice but to because he's her boyfriend and that's just one of the many requirements for getting to touch her ass. Razor didn't mind at first because she lets him drive her sweet little sports car and it so trumps his clunker and it isn't like he has better things to do.

Everyone says they're weird together and, yeah, maybe they are. They met when she was a mess, ran to the Pizza Shack, needing a shoulder, and desperately resorted for Carter. All she got was Razor to tell her that Carter wasn't around. She broke down, not even caring that he was watching, and Razor, being who he is, comforted her. They talked is all and after that, she started coming to the Pizza Shack, seeking Razor out, needing his shoulder to lean on. Then, one day he asked her out and they've been dating ever since.

Razor kinda digs how enthusiastic she is about Christmas and especially shopping for Christmas. She has this almost childlike excitement for the holidays much like she did that time they all went to prom, the first time that he really noticed her. She has a list and everything and so Razor tries to convince himself that it'll be like a totally fun scavenger hunt. Also, he gets to spend time with his chick so _score_.

Then he sees the crowds and lines and angry, pushy women with pissy husbands and wailing children. It might as well by the apocalypse.

"Alright, babe, this is as far as I go," Razor says. "Call me when you're done. I'll pick you up."

He tries to kiss the top of her blonde head, but Lauren sharply pokes his chest. "As if."

"But Lo—"

"This way," she orders. "And don't even think of getting lost on purpose, Ray."

He groans. "Laurennn."

"And stop looking at Game Stop."

Razor sulks and even with his shoulders dropped he's still so much taller than her. Lauren holds out her hand to him and despite his reluctance, Razor doesn't hesitate to link their fingers. So, yeah, he pretty much will follow her through hell.

…

"I thought she broke off the engagement with your dad?"

"She did."

"And she told you she didn't want anything to do with you or your dad ever again?"

"She did that too."

Razor inwardly winces. He didn't want to be right, but at least it proves that he actually listens to her when she talks, not just stare at her boobs. Well, sometimes he does do that second one, he actually does that second one _a lot_ (what? His girlfriend is smokin' hot) but he really does care about the things she tells him and takes it to heart.

When he sees her frown at the reminder, Razor rounds the straps of all her shopping bags around his right wrist and wraps his left arm around her hips, pulling her closer in an almost hug. He'd totally buy her ice cream or something to try to cheer her up, but Lauren doesn't eat ice cream and so he hopes the kiss he presses to her forehead is sweet enough without all the calories.

"Sure, all that stuff that went down between us was a mess and mostly my fault, but that doesn't erase all the good times we had. All the times I needed a mom and Summer was there for me," Lauren says optimistically, looking down into the glass case at the jewelry store. "Plus, gift giving is in the Christmas spirit."

Razor smiles gently. "I love the way you think."

When a store clerk comes by, Lauren points out this beautiful little white gold cross necklace. Lauren explains how she overheard Summer talking to Kim the other day in the gym and the one Summer always wears was stolen along with an assortment of other jewelry when her apartment got broken in to. Lauren figures it can't make up for everything she did, but it is trying. Razor calls her thoughtful and by the way her face brightens and she tugs on his shirt to kiss him, he suspects she doesn't hear that too often.

…

While Lauren goes to pick up the presents for her friends, Razor stands in an insanely long line just to get a pretzel. He's never been any good with lines, standing outside of a venue, waiting for a club to open and for a concert to start. Razor has always been the guy ready to lead the revolt when a band thinks they're too cool to start a show on time. Now though, he can't start a riot when he sees the pretzel place employees slinging dough as fast as they can. He understands people who sweat for their minimum wage.

There are these guys in line a little ahead of him. Both are pretty tall and dark-haired, though one has Vampire-pale skin and the other a deep, tan complexion. They keep looking back at him and sniggering. It reminds Razor of his days on the playground and they weren't exactly fun.

At one point, Razor can't help himself and shouts, "Something wrong, gentlemen?"

The pale one cringes, caught, but the other one doesn't lose his cool. "Nothing _wrong_. Just interesting," he replies. "I'm Austin and this is Max. We train at the Rock and couldn't help, but notice you hanging out with Lauren Tanner. You two seem close."

Razor doesn't know how to handle this. All he ever hears about is this No Dating rule that isn't that strictly enforced, not anymore at least, but Lauren's rep isn't the cleanest (she dated Carter; enough said) and Razor and Lauren are totally dating (she made that clear after the second date) but he doesn't know what she would want him to tell these guys.

"Yeah," Razor says coolly. "We are."

Austin smirks. "Is she using sex to bribe you to hang out with her too?"

Razor bristles. That's not cool.

"Aus, cut it out," Max hisses, tugging on the leather sleeve of his friend's jacket. He then looks over at Razor. "Austin's just joking around. He, uh, does that a lot."

"_Too_?" Razor asks.

Austin points a thumb over at his friend, but Max denies it with the shake of his head. "No, I didn't sleep with her."

"Sure, but you did everything but," Austin adds. "Besides, Carter sure got far and often. God knows he talked about it enough."

When he agreed to come to the mall today, Razor wasn't expected this. He hates this.

"Yeah, but, dude, he didn't have to hear that. I don't even want to mention any of that ever again," Max says. Looking rather embarrassed, Max gives Razor something of a smile. "Sorry about this guy. I think the mall craziness has gotten to him. I hope you and Lauren have a good day."

Razor's brows furrow. He can _so_ tell this guy is checking him out and Razor isn't even wearing his skinny jeans today.

"Just, watch out, huh?" Austin calls, just as they're about to step up to the pretzel counter. "Lauren Tanner is a man eater."

Razor gets so upset that he doesn't even have the time to be a little uncomfortable with the way that Max guy keeps sneaking looks at him. Razor knows guys talk and exaggerate and there might be some truth in there, but even if there is, he doesn't care. Lauren's his girlfriend and whatever happened before they started dating is irrelevant. Also, it's none of these guys' business anyways. It upsets him so much that Razor gives up on his quest for a salted pretzel, shoves his hands into his pockets and goes to find Lauren. When they meet up outside of Forever 21, the first thing he does is kiss her, long and deep, in public. Whatever. People can stare and judge all they want. There's no shame in love.

"I know guys can be assholes and I don't think you're a whore," Razor says immediately. Lauren looks at him like, _what the fuck_? And so Razor gives her a nervous smile and adds, "I think you're pretty awesome."

"Thanks, boo," she says playfully. "You might be the sweetest guy I've ever dated. Like, for real."

And when she says things like that, now more than ever, he knows to believe her.

…

They walk past the North Pole setup in the center of the mall and there's a ridiculously long line of children and parents that snakes all the way around the corner. Santa's "ho, ho, ho" can be heard even above the mall noise and the sound of cranky children crying and even crankier parents yelling.

"Hey," Razor whispers to Lauren just as she crosses off another item on her list. "You wanna go see Santa? I know one of the elves from high school. We could totally cut the line if you want."

"And get the evil eye from those parents who've wasted their entire day just to get their kids to sit in some strange man's lap so he can make empty promises? I'm sure I can live without it."

"Right." Razor nods. "You probably don't need Santa to remind you that your name tops the Naughty List every year." Lauren whacks him with one of the packages hanging around her wrist, then turns back to her handy checklist and starts to walk away. Jogging to catch up with her, Razor laughs. "What? I wouldn't want you any other way."

…

Lauren drags Razor to looks through the tie selection in the men's department of a store. Since her dad wears the same one over and over again, it'd be nice to give him an assortment, preferably fashionable ones that bring out the color of his eyes. Razor stands a bit behind her, looking through one of the bags at what she got her friends. Bracelets personalized with each of the girls' names on them, a throwback to their gymnastics camp days, Lauren explains.

"Let me guess," he says. "Pretty Little Liars inspired, right? Knew it. I'm dating A."

"Didn't even cross my mind," she replies. "Even if every other gymnast in Colorado will tell you I tried to kill each of them at least once."

"No details required," Razor says. "Two can keep a secret if one of them is dead."

"Okay, your love for that show is borderline unhealthy," Lauren teases, playfully bumping her his hip with hers.

One Sunday when he wasn't working and her dad was out of town (like always) all they did was lounge on the couch and watch Pretty Little Liars. He'll say she forced him to sit through it, but by the end of the first season, Razor was so deeply involved in the show and begging her to start season 2, but Lauren shook her head and told him she had practice early in the morning.

"So is my gift somewhere in one of these packages or what?" Razor asks. He has at least five clinging to each hand, plastic straps nearly cutting off the circulation in his wrists.

"Nope. You were the first on my list. Easiest to shop for," Lauren says confidently. "I bet you haven't even thought of what to get me."

"I already gave you my heart," Razor says, his hand on his chest. "What do you get a girl that has everything?"

Lauren smiles. "Chanel's always great. A girl can't have too many purses. Or shoes. Hmm, a trip to Hawaii. A new bikini for that trip to Hawaii—"

"Lo, do you remember where I work?" he asks. "Enough said."

The blonde gets sidetrack from her shopping (who knew that was even possible?) and wraps her arm around Razor's elbow, clinging to his arm. "Aww, I'm sure I'll love the macaroni art and finger paint portraits."

"Or whatever I can steal from the Pizza Shack and get away with."

"Can't wait," she says sarcastically. "Now, the red with polka dots or solid navy?"

"Red," Razor answers. He imagines that would match Steve Tanner's face if Lauren ever introduced her pizza boy boyfriend to her multi-million dollar entrepreneur father. It'd probably compliment the steam that would come out of his ears.

Lauren gets him three total, the red and navy, both Valentino, and also a Ralph Lauren with burgundy crème stripes. All three are over fifty a piece and come out to a little under two hundred dollars and Lauren calls it a steal. Razor will never get used to the way she just throws money around like that, but it isn't something he'd ever judge her for or even consider taking advantage of. The way she wields that AmEx—hot.

They hit the food court afterward and Razor listens to his girl unashamedly express her disgust at all the neon signs and food options that make grease seem like a sixth food group. She immediately makes a beeline for Subway ("Duh, Nastia Liukin reps them, and me someday") while Razor stands around for a while, debating on what to eat. Lauren teases him when he drops his tray on the table and he's eating (gasp) pizza and Razor covers his ears and tells her not to judge him. The blonde rolls her eyes and tosses him the two chocolate chip cookies that she says came with her meal, but he knows she knows chocolate chip is his kryptonite and so she got it with him in mind.

"Lo, can we go now?" he asks once they finish their food.

"Nope," Lauren answers, and Razor actually whimpers. "I've got one more store in mind."

"Babe, I'm ready to rip my hair out and you know I love my hair."

"Fine, Ray, if you don't want to go to Game Stop so you can drop less than subtle hints about whatever stupid gory video game you're obsessed with and piss off your coworker, begging him to let you borrow ever weekend, but, if you want to leave then we can just leave."

"Modern Warfare 3!" Razor shouts. Not subtle at all. "The closest I'll ever get to cheating on you will be with that game!"

"I so didn't need to hear that." Lauren shakes her head and smiles.

Razor wears the brightest grin. Above all, he's just happy she listens to what he says (no matter how stupid) and takes it to heart too.

…

They exchange gifts a couple days before Christmas because Razor has this tradition where he goes to Vegas to spend Christmas day with Damon, Emily and their kid and Lauren's grandma is coming to visit so she's going to be busy with family too.

Razor's gift to Lauren is a USB with every episode from the first half of Pretty Little Liars season 2, and, yeah, they all might be illegally downloaded, but he knows that with her training schedule, she doesn't have the time to go looking for the episodes so he took the time to get 'em all for when she does have free time. He also gives her two tickets to the next Denver Nuggets game because she totally digs basketball and he loves that she doesn't seem like the type, but honestly knows more about the sport than him. He tells her that she should bring her dad to the game so they can spent time together and Lauren smiles excitedly and tells him she loves it all.

Lauren gets Razor the video game he wanted and he does a little happy dance, excited to finally have his own copy and now he can play Damon and destroy his former bandmate whenever he wants. Being the surprisingly thoughtful gift giver she is, that isn't all. Inside the game case is a paper heart she cut herself and in black marker it reads: _mine is yours_.

Razor smiles at his girl. Lauren smiles back and says, "There. Now _you_ are the boy that has everything."

He doesn't know what to say to thank her and so he just leans over and kisses her. He savors the kiss, the moment, the feeling, because at least for now, he really does have everything.

* * *

><p><span>AN: Gah, I love writing Razor. I want him back. I'm pouting, FYI. Nickelly is my number one imaginary ship, but Lauren/Razor is a close second. They so had a moment in the prom episode. I think he'd totally appreciate and balance out her crazy. Also, I think from the perspective of someone who isn't their friend and isn't in the gymnastics world, Austin would come off as an asshole, especially regarding Lauren. I stand by that. What do you think?

Next: I have no idea anymore. Lol Whatever I feel like.

R_eview!_

Xoxo


	9. Once Upon a Time AustinEmily

Disclaimer: Sometimes I forget, but, yep, I don't own anything.

A/N: HELLO, FANDOM! So, if you haven't heard, I'm crazy and I've challenged myself to do as many Christmas oneshots as I can for this month. I'll be doing a variety of ships, sometimes not even ships, just character-specific, some serious and sweet, others pure crack, canon and even my personal AU. Consider this my Christmas gift to y'all.

Summary: "You know, when my coworker came over to me, saying there was some weird yet moderately attractive pedophile guest creeping on my young, impressionable son, I came running out here, but then I saw you and thought, oh, of course it's just Austin." Austin/Emily (mostly friendship), mentions of Damon/Kaylie

* * *

><p><strong>-BB-<strong>

**Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime **

9

After all these years, Austin has built up a strong, instinctive hatred for snobby rich people parties.

Low romantic lighting, a classically trained pianist at a grand piano, playing soft, soothing music, waiters in white shirts and pink bowties carrying around platters of little bits of food that cost way more than Big Macs, but hardly taste like 'em. The only reason Austin even goes to these things anymore is to keep up appearances and, of course, the booze is free and flowing.

He doesn't even know why he's at this party. Maybe because it's getting closer to Christmas and everything he's ever watched on TV says it makes you the biggest fucking loser if people aren't surrounding you during the holiday season. So instead of sitting home, alone at his little apartment or pouring over paperwork at his very own, locally owned gym, Austin is here, schmoozing with NGO reps. After all these years, he's still playing their games.

As alluring as the open bar is and how the ballroom is decorated like a winter wonderland with iced lights, everything white and crystal and royal blue, Austin is bored out of his mind. He was hoping Sasha and Payson would make an appearance, Nicky and Kelly maybe. Those four always seem to get the room gossiping and that keeps Austin entertained. So far, no shows.

Kaylie and Lauren are around though, which is surprising seeing as they went off to do their own individual things, chased other passions after their last runs at the 2016 Olympics. Lauren brags about making partner at her law firm (God bless the accused innocents in New York City) and she even brags for Kaylie about being engaged. Austin spoke to the two briefly, but has steered clear ever since. Though, as he watches both of them from across the room, Austin smiles. Both have grown up a lot since the old days.

Right before Austin finishes off another glass of champagne, something thuds against his leather shoes. He looks down and finds a little rubber ball in front of him. Austin looks forward and that's when he sees a little guy, maybe seven or eight years old with a lazy sort of expression on his fair face and short, dark hair. He wears a little gray vest with a snowman on it and black pants. Austin has been mingling for maybe an hour now and this is the first time he's seen anyone under sixteen.

Bending down on one knee, Austin picks up the ball and holds it out. "Here you go."

The little boy looks from side to side before he rushes over to Austin and takes back his ball. "Thank you," he says in this adorable, high-pitch squirrely little voice.

"What's your name, bud?"

"Henry."

"Cool," Austin says, figuring he belongs to one of the NGO people or something that couldn't find a babysitter on short notice. "Henry what?"

"Kmetko."

Austin's world spins. He suddenly straightens, towering over the little boy, looking around just as frantically.

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah," Henry says resolutely. "Who are you?"

"Austin Tucker." His mouth falls open and he slaps his palms against his cheeks like the kid from _Home Alone_ and it makes Austin laugh. Cute. "I take it you've heard of me, huh?"

"You know my momma!" the little boy shouts.

Austin's lips tug in a smile. "I sure did, kid. Once upon a time." He keeps looking around the sea of people, searching for her. Even after all these years, he knows he'd be able to pick her face out of a crowd without a problem. "Is your mom around anywhere?"

"Somewhere," he replies. "She said I have to stay in the kitchen."

"The kitchen?"

"Momma says if her boss finds out she brought me to work with her that's strike two," he says, very seriously. "She should be around here somewhere, wearing her pink bowtie. Her pink bowtie is like Superman's cape. When she puts it on she's gotta go to work, like how Superman saves Metropolis and I have to stay out of trouble."

"Well, if I'm looking out for you, you can't possibly get into trouble, right?" Henry makes a face like he's thinking about it really hard. "They've got some pretty cool Christmas trees over there," Austin says, jutting his head to the right. "And brownies and cookies and fun stuff. Wanna check it out?"

Henry nods his head excitedly and Austin smiles back, just as excited.

They walk side by side and Austin takes him over to the buffet. Henry points to the different desserts and Austin obliges, piling them high on a plate. Once he has enough Christmas cookies and brownies lightly dusted with powder sugar, Austin drags a comfy chair right in front of the Christmas tree so Henry can sit right in the middle of all the action. Austin then pulls up a folding chair so he can sit too.

"So your mom works for Party Down catering?"

"Yup," Henry answers. He picks up a chocolate chip cookie, inspects it and then nearly stuffs the entire thing in his mouth. "And at the Holiday Inn. Once, she brought me with her when she was cleaning a room and I found an iPad! But momma made me turn it into the lost and found. She says it was the right thing to do."

"She's always been a smart one," he says. "So Henry Kmetko, tell me what your favorite Christmas song is."

He shakes his head. "I don't like music."

"You don't like music?" Austin asks skeptically. "Who doesn't like music?"

"My dad loves it too much."

Austin's expression darkens. That makes sense, given that his father is the infamous Damon Young. Curious, Austin leans a bit forward, smiling softly at the fudge smudged all around Henry's little mouth. "You ever see your dad?"

"Sometimes. He came to my birthday party, but not in a long time."

Right, because he's too busy, engaged to Kaylie Cruz and all.

"Aww, that doesn't mean you don't have a favorite Christmas song. C'mon, kid. Everyone has a favorite Christmas song."

Again with the deep, contemplative expression, the kid is a thinker. "Rudolph."

Austin smirks. "Me too."

They talk a bit more and bounce the ball around and Austin even gets the pianist to try his hand at playing _Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer_. The entire time, Henry looks up at him with his big brown eyes (that he so obviously got from Emily) like Austin Tucker literally is Superman. Though a few colleagues come over to make small talk, Austin spends most of the party hanging out with Henry. When the kid starts to doze off in the comfy chair, Austin takes off his jacket and drapes it over him and lets him sleep.

"Can't you ever make friends with people your own age?" Lauren Tanner teases with a hand propped up on his hip.

"What can I say? The kid can hold up a conversation better than most of the others in this room," Austin says. He takes a look around and sees that the number of guests is starting to dwindle.

"That's because Austin prefers talking about super heroes and make-believe and not have real, adult conversations," Kaylie adds, coming up beside her blonde friend.

"You bet," Austin says, exaggerating the enthusiasm in his voice. "You two about to take off?"

"Just about," Kaylie says. "It was nice seeing you again, Austin."

"You too. Tell your boy I said Merry Christmas," Austin says, standing and kissing her cheek. He then sets his eyes on Lauren and smirks. "And, you, tell all your single lady friends, I said—"

"Eww. One of these days, Tucker, you're going to have to grow up," Lauren snaps.

He chuckles. "Not if I can help it."

They finish their goodbyes and Austin sits back in his seat, fiddling with his phone, waiting for his old friend to come looking for her young son.

"You know, when my coworker came over to me, saying there was some weird yet moderately attractive pedophile guest creeping on my young, impressionable son, I came running out here, but then I saw you and thought, oh, of course it's just Austin."

He'd know that sweet, soft-spoken voice anywhere. Austin stands from his seat and greets the young lady standing in professional white button-down and black slacks with the signature pink bowties of the catering company. Her hair is short, cropped, with bangs pushed to one side and even after all these years and having an actual child, she's still so Emily. Austin doesn't hesitate to stand and give her a hello hug.

"Hey, Em, you look great," he says. "Long time no see."

"Really, _really_ long." She does this thing, sort of nuzzles her face against his shoulder and the hug somehow turns into him kind of cradling her. When they pull away, she smiles, a little coy, and Austin can't believe she's here. "I guess I shouldn't even bother telling you that you look great."

"Great, huh? You better tell that to your coworker, who apparently thinks I'm only moderately attractive. Moderately attractive. What _is_ that?" he says jokingly. "Hey, you just missed the other girls. Did you say hi?"

"Um, I saw them, but I did just the opposite, actually. Dodged them," she says shamefully. "You get pretty good at it after a while. I just…couldn't."

"Em…"

"Do you mind keeping an eye on him for a little while longer?" Emily asks, motioning to her soundly sleeping son. "I just need to finish up, cleaning and packing, then I'm free to go."

"Sure thing," Austin says. "Don't worry. I'll keep the _other_ weird, guarantee _less attractive_ pedophile guests away from him." She starts to walk away, when he calls to her and she looks to him form over her shoulder. "And Em, I really do mean it. You look great."

She smiles weakly and continues on her way. While Emily finishes work for the night, Austin thinks about the last time he saw her. It was the last time she was back in Boulder, years ago, when Henry was only a baby. She was back in town to visit her mom and wish the girls luck before they went off to the Olympics in 2012. He barely got a moment alone with her then and remembers how much he wished he had.

A little while later, when Emily comes back, she gives Austin his coat back and tries to wake Henry to put his little, puffy coat back on him. The little boy just mumbles grouchily and rubs at his eyes and Emily gives up, resorting to scooping Henry up into her arms, pulling the coat around him to shield him from the cold outside. She starts to walk away and Austin follows through the kitchen and out the back to the parking area.

"So, have you eaten yet? I know this twenty-four hour diner—"

"Actually, I'm exhausted and I should probably get this little guy to bed," Emily says as she carefully sets Henry down in the backseat and bundles him up. "Thanks for the offer though, Austin. Don't worry. We have leftovers galore."

"I wasn't thinking eating would be the only thing we'd do. I thought we could catch up. Damn, Emily, I haven't seen you in forever…"

"I'm really sorry, Aus, but I can't. I should go."

He frowns, afraid his natural charm is about to fail him. "You can't spare me five minutes to talk?"

Emily closes the door to the backseat and stares over at Austin. He can see where Henry gets his pensive stare. "Okay, but just five minutes."

She gets into her car to turn on the heater and Austin gets into the passenger seat. It's awkward at first, but Austin's always been a natural at conversation and he gets her to open up just as easily as he did when they were sitting together at the Denver exhibition, without their dance partners, but together. They end up talking longer than five minutes, but she can't regret it. He knows this by the way he gets her smile.

"Austin, I really should go. It's late."

"Okay," he says, sounding a little disappointed. "One question though, why do I feel like I'm going to give you my number and say I want to hang out some time and you're going to agree, but then when I get out of the car I'm never going to hear from you ever again?"

Emily sighs miserably and leans against the steering wheel of her little, secondhand car. "Because it's probably the reality of the situation. I know that isn't what you want to hear, but I also know _you_, Austin. You think I need saving and you want to try to save me, but I'm fine. I've been doing fine on my own ever since I left Boulder."

"Clearly. Just look at your kid." Austin glances over his shoulder to see little Henry fast asleep. "I talked to him for a bit. He's smart and healthy. You did good, Em." Austin reaches out and touches her shoulder. "And for your information I'm not going to try to save you. I just want to get reacquainted and if I get to know Henry in the process then that's cool too."

"Damon said the same thing," Emily says, sounding pained. "And now I have to figure out how to tell Henry that daddy isn't going to make it to Christmas dinner."

"It's Damon's loss. Don't punish me for it," he says. "Come on. We used to be friends, Emily."

"Yeah, _use to_."

She's afraid of empty promises and even worse, broken ones, and that's something Austin understands and respects. He sees her cell phone sitting between them and takes it, programming his number into it. "Okay then, no pressure," he says, handing it back to her. "I'd just rather spend my Christmas with an old friend and maybe a new one, just hanging out, not at another snotty party like this one."

He pulls on the latch of the car door, but before he leaves, Austin turns back and places his hand over Emily's, giving it a squeeze. "Tell Henry I said goodbye. I had fun."

Austin likes to think h played that right, but gets a little nervous when it gets closer and closer to Christmas and he doesn't hear from her. The day before, he finally gets a call from Emily, saying she has Christmas day off and proposes they order from whatever place is open. Austin says he has a Wii that Henry might get a kick out of so they end up at his place, watching the little guy jump around excitedly as Emily tells Austin about the hundred other jobs she's taken over the year just to make sure her kid is fed and that he had gifts to open this Christmas. Austin admires her strength and tells her about his new desire to close his gym and become a stunt man.

And when hanging out with Emily and Henry becomes a regular thing, Austin has snobby rich people Christmas parties to thank for why he can't quit grinning.

* * *

><p><span>AN: Wow, it's been a while since I wrote these two. I have mad respect for single parents who haul ass just to make sure their children are taken care of and have a childhood. I hope you liked it! Merry Christmas, everyone! :) Tell me your thoughts.

R_eview!_

Xoxo


	10. One Fine Fixerupper LaurenOC

Disclaimer: Sometimes I forget, but, yep, I don't own anything.

A/N: If you haven't read my other stories, specifically _Life, Love and Denim_ and _We Fall Between_, you might be a little lost. Well, all you really need to know is that Kaylie has another older brother, Alexander "AJ" Cruz Jr. And if you do read #LLF and #WeFaB, this is another alt universe where the girls are gymnasts, but AJ is apart of their world. Enjoy!

Summary: It might not have been the best Almost Christmas Moment, but Lauren loves that she can see the potential. Lauren/AJ (OC), mentions of early Kaylie/Carter

* * *

><p><strong>-BB-<strong>

**Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime **

10

So, Lauren kind of has a _thing_ with Kaylie's older brother. Not even Leo, the hot, smart one with an actual future, but the middle child, AJ, the black sheep with a future that leads straight to baby mammas and running from the police, but always designer outfits and a strangely alluring air of danger. AJ is a little older than she is and also completely off-limits, but that's half the fun.

"Why won't you let me drive your car?" Lauren questions. She's sitting in the front seat, trying to figure out how to turn up the heater because it's freezing. Their snow-covered surrounding is a testament to that alone.

"Pshh. Lo, you're trippin' on something _hard_ if you think I'd ever let you get behind this wheel," he says as they continue to speed down an icy street. Everyone else would probably be freaking out at how fast he's driving, but not Lauren. Maybe she trusts him or something. "You don't even have your permit."

"I will. Soon," she insists. Lauren hates that, how people look at her like she's a kid, like she doesn't know anything. She's fifteen and gave up the chance at a normal life, dedicating herself to her craft. That isn't a decision children make so she shouldn't be treated like one.

"Well then, after you take the driving test three times and resort to paying off the DMV, daddy can buy you your own Barbie dream car to drive into the sunset," he teases. AJ always teases her like that and Lauren always rolls her eyes. As if he doesn't have a thing for blondes. She knows he does.

When they miss the exit he was supposed to take, back to the neighborhood they live on opposite ends of, Lauren sits up a little taller. "Where are we going?"

Without looking at her, he replies, "It's a surprise."

"For who?"

AJ laughs again, undoubtedly at her. "Yo, when you called me up for a ride home and I agreed, it didn't mean I was going to be your personal driver for the day," he says. "And, yeah, it isn't a surprise party type surprise. You'll see. Patience, boo."

Not knowing what to expect and having no power regardless, Lauren just sits back and stares ahead. She ignores the little flutter that she feels when he calls her _boo_.

"So," Lauren says, tapping her fingernails against her thighs. "What are you getting me for Christmas?"

"I don't celebrate Christmas."

Lauren deadpans. "Tell me you're kidding."

"Have you met my parents? In my honor, they started this new holiday, a nameless holiday in place of Christmas, where instead of celebrating the birth of Christ, they bribe their troubled son with extravagant items of worth. For instance, there's the car you're sitting in, this watch. The money went towards the clothes I'm wearing, for sure."

"Seems like they took a page out of my dad's parenting handbook," Lauren says sourly. "Still, even I get some enjoyment out of giving gifts to others."

"I tried to give Leo some of these great pot brownies last Christmas, but he's scary good at resisting peer pressure."

"Okay, sometimes you just take this wannabe bad boy thing way farther than you should."

"That's me," he says. "Take it or leave it."

So far, Lauren is yet to take it or leave it. Every time she thinks to take it, there's always something in the way. There's the obvious, that he's Kaylie's older brother and Kaylie's reaction to this would be more drama than Lauren wants to deal with. Then there's the fact that he's the type of guy who knows where to get pot brownies and finds joy in manipulates his parents into getting an increase in bought love.

The word "surprise" doesn't even begin to explain how Lauren feels when they park in front of an old seemingly abandoned building with boarded up graffiti-covered walls. Lauren doesn't even want to get out of the car, but AJ urges her to. It honestly looks like where creepers take roofied girls to date rape them and Lauren isn't afraid to point this out, but AJ just leans over to pull a key out of the glove compartment.

"What is this place and why do you have a key?"

"It used to be a little convenience store," AJ explains as he unlocks the giant lock on the door. Lauren wraps her arms around herself, nauseous because if the outside smells like piss then there's no telling what the inside is like. Still, AJ looks like a kid right outside of Disneyland.

When he gets the lock undone, AJ has to kick the door to get it open and once he does the inside is in just rough of shape. The floor is coated with a layer of dust and grime and the walls are a faded. There are empty iron racks, cardboard boxes and wooden crates that got left behind. Lauren grimaces, feels she should be wearing a face mask, but AJ just rushes in, not looking one bit disappointed.

"Aww, damn, it's just how I remembered," AJ says excitedly. "When we were kids, our grandparents would come to visit every winter and give us a couple dollars so Leo and I would ride our bikes down here to buy ice cream cones. Dad would always say serious gymnasts don't eat ice cream, but we'd always sneak Kaylie those strawberry shortcake ice cream bars. Ha, I doubt she'd eat 'em if they weren't pink," AJ reminisces. "This is what I got for Bribemas."

"I'm still confused," the blonde says. "What did you get exactly?"

"This," AJ says, motioning to the tragic ugliness around them. "All of this."

"A crack den?"

"I prefer fixer-upper," AJ says. "It's been on the market for a while now and I got my dad to buy it for me. Cool, right? I don't know what I want to do with it, but I drove past here one day, saw the sale sign and knew I had to have it. I don't know why and I know it's a mess, but, to me, there's something so great about that. The possibility and potential it has even if no one else sees it. All it needs is a little attention, a little love, a purpose and it could be something amazing."

"What did you have to promise your dad in exchange?"

"I gave him my word that I'd 'pull my act together' whatever that means," AJ says with a scoff. AJ has his act together, just not the one Alex wants for him. "Apparently, he's worried I don't have a future. But it's what I want so I'm willing to play by his rules."

"And this crack den is really worth the effort?"

"You've seen my OCD tendencies." Lauren knows them well. AJ has a bitch fit every time Kaylie has the girls over and they leave the kitchen a mess. Then he pulls on his gloves and cleans it himself. "See, once I start working on something, even if it's just in my head, I can't completely abandon it. The more time I put into something, the more it means to me. Even if other people can't see why I bother, I know what I'm working towards and that's good enough for me."

"I still don't see the point," Lauren says slowly. Especially with the way he's looking at her.

AJ chuckles coolly. "Damn, ma, you are one fine fixer-upper."

It clicks in her head and Lauren laughs. "You did not just do all this just so you could use that line on me."

"You know you enjoyed that," he says, even winks at her just for emphasis.

"I bet you bring all the girls here to show off your new investment."

"Naw, just you," he says sweetly. "C'mon. It's fucking cold. Kaylie has Carter over at the house _unsupervised_. Get this, she told me all she wants for Christmas is for me to be nice to Carter and I'm down, but that doesn't mean we can't crash and I'm pretty sure you can be a bitch enough for the both of us."

"Shut up."

"Whatever you like, Lo. Whatever you like."

AJ playfully pulls Lauren's fur-lined hood up over her blonde hair and she pushes it off and shoves him away. It might not have been the best Almost Christmas Moment, but Lauren loves that she can see the potential.

* * *

><p><span>AN: For all you waiting for a #WeFaB update, hope you enjoyed this and don't hate us for the hiatus! Merry Christmas! :)

R_eview!_

Xoxo


	11. Helpful KaylieAustinMax

Disclaimer: Sometimes I forget, but, yep, I don't own anything.

A/N: HELLO, FANDOM! So, if you haven't heard, I'm crazy and I've challenged myself to do as many Christmas oneshots as I can for this month. I'll be doing a variety of ships, sometimes not even ships, just character-specific, some serious and sweet, others pure crack, canon and even my personal AU. Consider this my Christmas gift to y'all.

Summary: Kaylie hears it in Max's tone. _He's looking at you_ _like an idiot in love_. Mostly Kaylie/Max (friendship), KayAus

* * *

><p><strong>-BB-<strong>

**Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime**

11

Kaylie never really spent time with Max Spencer before. They'd exchange friendly smiles and hellos in passing, but she doesn't think she's ever had a real conversation with him. That's why Kaylie finds it a little strange how when Kaylie takes the lead on the Rock's Christmas toy drive for the underprivileged, Max would volunteer his time to help. He says something about giving back and good karma. Kaylie doesn't object because she needs all the help she can get and it turns out Max is damn skilled at wrapping presents.

"You're really great at this," Kaylie comments. She watches the way Max cuts a perfect line down the green and red wrapping paper. She hasn't stopped staring since she caught him expertly curling ribbons a few minutes ago, finishing up a different one.

"Thanks," Max says. "I am the gift-wrap champion."

"Why do I feel like that isn't a joke?"

Max just smiles, tearing off a piece of tape and smoothing it over the edge of the present. "I'd help my mom a lot as a kid. It was one of my favorite parts of the holidays."

"Did she take you shopping a lot too?" Kaylie asks. "Lauren told me you shop like she's never seen from a guy before."

Max shrugs his shoulders. "So, I like nice things. Is that a bad thing?" He tries to be playful and lighthearted, but Kaylie notices the sharp defensiveness behind his voice.

"It's not," she assures him. "I think it's a nice change of pace. Trying to get Austin to go shopping is like trying to get a cat to take a bath. Come to think of it, Payson is the same way. Even worse sometimes."

"Speaking of our favorite Olympian," Max says, gazing across the room. "He's looking at you right now."

Kaylie hears it in Max's tone. _He's looking at you_ _like an idiot in love_.

Just a little embarrassed, on the verge of a blush, Kaylie busies herself with wrapping the puzzle set in front of her. Kaylie can't help, but glance up and notices that Max isn't just teasing. Austin is staring over at them, a slight smile on his face, like always. Ever since Worlds, he thinks he has some right to look and smile over at her in that way even if, technically, they aren't dating. Kaylie blamed the excitement for the kiss they shared (that the press had a field day over) but Austin just keeps smiling at her, knowingly.

"Next time you talk to him, tell him to stop," Kaylie says snottily. "It's more than creepy."

Max laughs softly. "Kaylie, Kaylie, Kaylie, don't pretend you're blind."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You can't tell me that you don't see the way he looks at you," Max says. His voice softens and so does his expression, growing almost solemn. "And he won't shut up about how much he likes and cares about you."

"Good for him," Kaylie says, folding the sides of the present she's working on. "It's confusing is what it is. He's so arrogant and thinks that just because he wants something then he'll get it because he's Austin Tucker. And yeah, he really helped me and flirts _all the time_, but he also helped and flirted with Emily and Payson too. Don't let him think Pay didn't tell me about their sexy cat lessons or whatever that was. And he focuses on me, me, me and my recovery so he doesn't have to open up about him no matter how much I want him to and try to get him to. Then there's the fact that he intentionally makes people believe he's this disgusting whore man who can't start a committed relationship just so he can prove them wrong and it drives me crazy—"

Max sighs loudly. He spins the finished present in his hands and it is perfect. Kaylie doesn't even want the present she wrapped anywhere near Max's. "So," he says, "you _obviously_ like him just as much, then?"

Kaylie stops a moment. Damn it.

Max smiles softly. "Why don't you go talk to him? Don't tell him I told you, but he is dying to take you out for an early Christmas dinner or something. Go ahead. I can finish up here."

"Really?" she asks.

"Think of it as my Christmas gift to both of you," Max says sweetly. "Also, I might need a little help shopping for Lauren and Payson. After the way this last year as been and how much I messed up, I could probably use someone who really knows them."

Kaylie smiles. "Sounds like a plan."

When she walks over to Austin, trying to sort through her thoughts and figure out what she's going to say, he just wears that infuriating smile. Before she can go into a rant about how, yeah, maybe she might have feelings for him too (as if a kiss in front of the world could mean anything else) she finds herself completely without words.

"I couldn't hear what you were saying, but I saw you give Max an earful," Austin says, amused. "Tell me about it over dinner?"

She hesitates like she always does, but then gets trapped by that damn smile. "Sure."

"Cool. I got the car parked outside." Austin offers her his arm and Kaylie willingly takes it.

Before walking out the front door with Austin, Kaylie makes sure to glance back at Max and give him a smile.

* * *

><p><span>AN: Classic Kaylie Cruz. She always pretends she doesn't like boys and then ends up falling for them. Both my most beloved and most hated thing about her. I am intrigued by interaction between Max/Kaylie just because they have so many connection, but never actually spoke on the show and he's literally the only boy she hasn't fallen for. I think the most we got was them sitting on the same side of a table (AND PAYSTIN SITTING ON THE OTHER SIDE TOGETHER) so that's why I really did this. Side order of KayAus just because it was necessary. Merry Christmas!

R_eview!_

Xoxo


	12. To Stay or To Go AustinMax

Disclaimer: Sometimes I forget, but, yep, I don't own anything.

A/N: HELLO, FANDOM! So, if you haven't heard, I'm crazy and I've challenged myself to do as many Christmas oneshots as I can for this month. I'll be doing a variety of ships, sometimes not even ships, just character-specific, some serious and sweet, others pure crack, canon and even my personal AU. Consider this my Christmas gift to y'all.

Pairing(s): Austin/Max (friendship), mentions of KayAus

* * *

><p><strong>-BB-<strong>

**Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime **

12

Finding out his roommate is gay (and finding out via a random kiss at the Worlds sendoff party) was definitely a shock that led to Austin worrying over how things would pan out, but now he thinks it isn't so bad.

"Hey, Queer Eye!" Austin shouts, trotting down the hallway of the house he shares with Max Spencer. He's got a hanger in each hand and turns into the open door of Max's room. "Tell me, fashion guru, which shirt should I wear to the Cruz Family Christmas party?"

He's mostly joking. Austin can dress himself way better than Max, but does it to be annoying and take his nerves off of having to be in the same room as Kaylie's dad. Austin opens his mouth to say something, but then he notices how Max has a suitcase out on his bed and how his photographer friend is packing neatly folded clothes in it.

"Hey," Austin says slowly, "you planning to go on a last minute vacation without telling me?"

"Yeah," Max answers without looking at him. He just continues to go from his dresser to the suitcase and that annoys Austin. He doesn't like to be treated like he isn't there. "I'm going home. And to honest with you, Austin, I'm not sure if I'm coming back either."

Austin frowns. Suddenly, the way Alex Cruz looks at him like he wants to strangle him is the furthest thing from his mind. "Why wouldn't you come back?"

Finally, Max stops and looks to the doorway. "Aus, I think it's time we talked."

Austin feels a thrill of panic run through him. It's these type of conversations that he's been avoiding even before Worlds. "Max, not now," Austin says quickly. "We have the Christmas party to get to."

"That's all you ever say." Max groans, clearly frustrated. "Not now, Max, we have Worlds to think about. Not now, Max, I have to deal with all the press over kissing Kaylie at Worlds. Not now, Max, I have to train. It's been months, Austin, and we still haven't talked."

"Well, maybe I don't want to talk about it," he replies. After all, it is the truth.

Max shakes his head, frustration turning to his own most hated form of annoyance. "Well, maybe that isn't good enough for me anymore."

"I thought we worked this all out," Austin says. "You've got Payson now."

"We're _friends_ again. I'm _just friends_ with Payson because I don't know if I can give her more and I don't want to string her along like I did when I first got here. Lauren neither. But you, Aus…"

"No, not this again," Austin says resolutely, starting to back out of the room. Fuck, if he knew all of this was going to come up then he would have picked out his own damn shirt. "Max, I thought everything was back to normal."

"You mean you ignoring it and me suppressing it? I can't anymore. I can't."

"Well, I don't love you, dude, at least, not like that," he says, very strong and sure of himself. Though, it really does kill him when Max looks so hurt. "Spence, we're friends. Pals. Buddies. Plus, I'm dating Kaylie now. I figured that was a hint enough that we should just quietly let this, whatever this is, confusion, die and never have to talk about it again."

"Fine. If that's how you feel then consider it dead," Max says. His face goes from a frown to a glare, rejection and heartache to resentment and anger. Max returns to what he was doing, packing for longer than a few days.

Leaning against the doorframe, Austin sighs. "Is that why you're saying you're leaving?"

"God, I know you're like Austin Tucker and everything, but you aren't the sun. The planets don't orbit you and neither do I," Max says. "I just need to get away from here. Hopefully seeing my family will help put everything back in perspective."

"But not forever, right?" Max ignores the question and Austin sighs, hanging his two shirts on the bedroom doorknob. He then takes a few steps towards Max, sitting right on the edge of his bed. "Max, just think about it."

"Answer me this," Max says. "What do I have to come back to?"

"Friends," Austin says automatically. As if he couldn't drill the message home completely. "Not to mention training with a gymnastics legend."

"The only reason I'd come back is for you and it sounds like that isn't what you want."

"I don't want you to go, but I can't be with you, man." Austin suppresses the sour expression he feels his face starting to form. "I can't even begin to picture that and it's not a homophobic thing, it's just a you and me thing. I can't see it happening."

"But I can," Max argues. "I…I think I love you. I know this is the most inconvenient thing for you, because we're such good friends, but I'm going to literally explode if I keep it in any longer. Austin, I've had feelings for you almost as long as I've known you, and I've forced myself to denied it, but I can't do this to myself anymore. I don't even care who knows anymore. I love you. And I get that you prefers girls, but I just had to tell you how I feel before I go."

Silence.

Honestly, how do you expect him to respond?

"So, um, you want to ride together to the party or take separate cars...?" Austin asks. He sees the disappointment on Max's face, the second wave of heartache and Austin inwardly curses himself. Fuck. This is harder than it should be. "Max…"

"Don't think I'm going," he says coldly, turning his back on Austin. "Have fun."

Austin wants to tell him to stop being like this, but they've already had that talk about how they might be friends and roommates, but Austin doesn't understand him. Austin can't possibly imagine what Max is feeling and going through because he hasn't felt or experienced anything similar to that. He's so conflicted over what he's supposed to say and what he shouldn't say so Austin chooses to say nothing. He just goes to the door to collect his hanging shirt and decides which one to wear all on his own.

…

Max has made an ass of himself a lot in his life, but this is something entirely different.

He likes Austin. He's hyperaware of everything when Austin's near and every feeling is amplified, the way he can't stop grinning and how his heart speeds up and the way his palms start to sweat. It's something Max would turn off if he could and would turn on around the appropriate love interests, but he can't. Humans aren't built that way and he's only human.

Instead of torturing himself and going to that Christmas party, Max stays home and enjoys what may be his last time in the lake house before his flight early the next morning. He watches bad reality TV and lounges around, only getting off the couch to look through the kitchen cupboards, fighting the urge to eat his feelings. There's so much more temptation around the holidays, especially with the gym moms and their love for baking.

It's early in the night when he hears the front door start to open. Max groans and freezes. He was hoping Austin would have the common courtesy to stay out until Max decided to go to bed as to not make things too awkward when he stumbles in through the door with a girl, Kaylie maybe, making out. Apparently, Austin can't even give him that.

When Max reaches for the remote, he hears Austin shout, "Hey! I'm home!"

When he turns his head to see, surprisingly, there's no Kaylie. Max can't help himself and has to comment on this. "Wow, Mr. Exciting _not_ bringing a girl home. Breaking news."

"Yeah, well, I don't think that'd swing with her scary hulk arms dad," Austin says, going over to sit with him. Of course it wouldn't even be about respecting Max's broken heart. When Austin walks over and sits beside him, Max tenses and considers standing right up and going to his room. "Hey, I stole you a cookie. Your favorite."

"No, thanks."

Austin looks down at the cookie in his hand as he murmurs, "So, should we talk?"

Max scoffs. "You. Want to talk?"

"Yeah, you said a lot of things before I left and to be honest, kinda ruined my night, bro. There was no point in trying to have fun when I knew you were here, mad at me," Austin explains. "But, seriously, Max, I just don't see you that way, okay? We've known each other for a long time. You're practically apart of the family. You've met my family and not even Kaylie or any one else around here has done that. But, romantically? Dude, I'm going to be straight with you, kissing you is like kissing my sister."

Max laughs miserably. "You have no idea how wrong that is."

"Not that I _kiss_ my sister _like that_, but—"

"Aus, it's cool. I hear rejection is the new black," he says sarcastically. Max presses a button on the TV remote and the screen goes blank. Just as he's about to leave the room, Austin grumbles and tugs on Max's sleeve, keeping him there on the couch.

"Max." Austin groans. He tilts his head towards him and smiles. "Maxi…"

"What? I've said everything I wanted to say and so did you. We're done."

"I just wanted to let you know that it's snowing outside," Austin says. He's just stalling. They're in freaking Colorado. It's been snowing for almost a month now.

"Right, Aus, just like yesterday and the day before that and the day before that."

"Yeah, but it's snowing _now_ and you're leaving, maybe for good." Austin grunts like the very idea makes him upset and Max feels a little thrill. It's nice to know he isn't the only one getting hurt from all this. "Max, all I'm saying is we should at least get in one last good snow war. C'mon, get up and put your slush pants on. That's an order, Spencer."

"No."

"Max, _please_?"

After a long moment of silence, Max huffs irritably and Austin already knows he's going to get his way. He does as Austin says and they turn on the lights that line the outside of the lake house. They spend a good hour playing in the snow, forming snowballs in their gloved hands and throwing them at each other. If anything, it helps the both of them get out some of that frustration and by the end of it, they're both laughing and smiling like they're stupid kids that don't even recognize hypothermia as an actual thing. Afterwards, the two put the peppermint cocoa mix the Keelers gave them to use and fill two mugs.

Sitting by the back window, watching the snow come down, Max mutters, "As fun of a distraction as that was and you are, I still don't know if I'm coming back after Christmas."

Though he's terrified of Austin's reaction, Max still looks over at his friend. Finally, it seems, it's registered with Austin that there's no saving this situation and there's no way to change Max's mind while still being true to himself. So then Austin does the one thing that Max has wanted this entire time. Austin nods, accepts the situation for what it is, _accepts Max_ for _who he is _and the two longtime friends sip hot cocoa and stare out at the slowly falling snowflakes.

* * *

><p><span>AN: Gotta love boy love and boy drama. Haters can back it up. What'd you think about this? Don't you love boys struggling to talk about feelings?

Anyways, I'm thinking I might keep this up if I have any free time for the rest of December. Originally, when I started this I thought I'd have a lot of free time and pop these out, a distraction from another pathetic Christmas spent with my alcoholic big brother, but then I made amends with my mom so I'm spending Christmas with her and my adorable half-siblings, definitely derailed my fic plans, but oh well. Family trumps fanfiction. Duh. How was everyone's Christmas?

R_eview!_

Xoxo


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